Hogwarts Chronicles - 2 Druid Legacies
by LostPipersChild
Summary: Voldemort was thwarted in his quest for a body, and now he plots his revenge. With a maniac escaped from Azkaban and the Quidditch cup coming to Hogwarts, the students have an eventful year ahead. But for the muggle-born Slytherin and her friends, life gets more complicated when ancient Druid skills are rediscovered and Hagrid acquires something rather illegal.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome lovely readers! If you're joining me from the end of Book One then welcome back and thank you so much for clicking forward. For newcomers, I'll give the story a brief introduction. This is a sequel to Hogwarts Chronicles: A Muggle-Born in Slytherin. If you'd like to go and read that first then follow the link at the end of this. If not, or you want a quick catch up, here's how the story stands.**

 _ **Muggle-born Alaw Jones was born and raised in Snowdonia and is descended from an extinct line of Druids. On the day she was born, Lord Voldemort attempted to kill her, as he had already done with several wizarding children including Harry Potter. However he failed and was grievously wounded. When Alaw came to Hogwarts University, her odd ancestry allowed her to be Sorted into Slytherin. Throughout the year, students were attacked by a rogue Dementor set loose by the possessed Quirrel on Voldemort's orders.**_

 _ **Alaw and her friends eventually discovered that the Dementor was collecting souls to be used in a ritual to restore Voldemort to full strength. Luckily, Alaw was able to stop the ritual and release the souls just in time. Quirrel tried to strangle her, but a strange magic kicked in and saved her, making Quirrel crumble to ash. Dumbledore later explained to Alaw that centuries ago, the Druids placed a protection on their children, meaning that anyone who tried to kill them before they were legally adults would die. So Alaw would be safe until her 21**_ _ **st**_ _ **birthday.**_

 _ **Now, with their second year at Hogwarts about to begin, Voldemort waits to take his revenge on the students…**_

 **So there you go! If that blurb didn't put you off, please use the address below to check out the first book.**

s/11344091/1/Hogwarts-Chronicles-Book-One-A-Muggle-Born-in-Slytherin

 **Chapter One**

 **The Burrow**

The bar of the Leaky Cauldron was quite busy that day. As it was the summer holidays, many Hogwarts students and their families were flocking to the capital to buy their equipment for the new school year, starting in a few weeks' time. The atmosphere in the pub was not as cheerful as it usually was, most people were talking amongst themselves very seriously, with grave expressions on their faces. A group of warlocks over by the window were puffing on their pipes and shaking their heads in a world weary sort of way. Two witches were leaning against the bar and gossiping earnestly, whilst Tom the landlord served them drinks. Only one person was alone in the pub that day, and she was sitting at a small table at the centre of the room, reading the Daily Prophet. She was a plain girl in her late teens, a little plump with shoulder length mousy brown hair.

Her forget-me-not blue eyes were skimming over the article before her, a slight frown creasing her forehead as she read. The only thing remarkable about the girl was her clothes. She was wearing dark denim jeans and a green polo shirt with the Slytherin crest stitched onto the breast pocket. It wasn't the sort of shirt one could buy in a wizarding shop, the girl had obviously stitched the crest on herself as it wasn't particularly neat. These clothes wouldn't have warranted a second glance outside the front door of the pub in the streets of London, but in here, they clearly marked her out as a muggle-born. She'd earned herself quite a few side-ways glances since sitting down with her glass of gilly-water half an hour ago, but she didn't seem bothered.

Alaw Jones had only arrived in the capital that morning by the ten o clock train from Holyhead. After getting off at Euston station, she'd caught the bus to Charring Cross road and hauled her luggage into the Leaky Cauldron, ordered her drink, picked up the abandoned newspaper and sat down to read. She was well aware that her appearance was considered eccentric, even scandalous, but she didn't care. She'd dealt with far worse during her first year at Hogwarts. Alaw had been most perturbed to discover that she was a witch, but she'd thrown herself into the wizarding world with great enthusiasm. She was muggle-born, meaning that neither of her parents were magical, and it had taken quite a few confundus charms to make Mr and Mrs Jones abandon their nosey natures and refrain from asking too many questions about Alaw's university life.

She didn't like lying to them, much less bewitching them, but it was wizarding law and there was little she could do. Muggle-borns only made up five present of the wizarding population in Britain and they were often subject to ridicule and outright prejudice by other, pure-blood, wizards. Besides being a muggle-born, there were several things about Alaw that made her highly unusual, even among wizards. First off, she had been born and raised in Wales. There were very few Welsh wizards due to an unlucky combination of historical mishaps. The few families that were left couldn't trace back their ancestry in the country farther than a handful of generations. But Alaw belonged to a very old line indeed.

The Druids had once been the magical caste of the Celts. They had been respected and sometimes revered, but all that had changed with the Roman invasion. Druid lines had been crippled and never truly recovered, and they died out completely sometime during the tenth century. But then along came Alaw, proving that at least one of the Squib lines had survived. On top of her curious heritage, Alaw had managed to cause a scandal when she arrived at Hogwarts and got herself Sorted into Slytherin house, the first muggle-born ever to do so. Alaw privately suspected her Sorting had been down to her ancient blood-ties, but that didn't stop most of her house-mates harassing her for the entire year.

Her sorting had brought her into conflict with the Ministry of Magic, as well as her peers. She was reading an article in which the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, was quoted, and her eyebrows were moving up and down her forehead with remarkable speed as her eyes travelled down the page.

 **BLACK STILL AT LARGE**

 _Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today._

 _"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."_

 _Fudge has been criticised by some members of the International Confederation of Wizards for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis._

 _"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"_

 _While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twenty years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

Alaw enjoyed a brief chuckle upon imagining the reaction of her current Prime Minister – a pompous twat in her opinion – upon meeting the equally bumbling Fudge. Alaw had met the Minister twice the previous year, and the last time she had grabbed him by the arm and threatened to ram her shoe up his arse. Needless to say, she was not a fan of the Ministry. And the way he was quoted in the article sounded exactly how she remembered him.

Sirius Black was not an unfamiliar name to Alaw. She had done considerable research into the Wizarding War of the last century, for Defence Against the Dark Arts essays but also to sate her own curiosity. She knew Sirius Black had been one of the first Death Eaters to be caught after Voldemort disappeared. He had been cornered down a busy London street by a member of Dumbledore's resistance. Before the Aurors could show up, Black had blown half the street apart, killing the 12 muggles mentioned in the article and the unfortunate wizard. By all accounts, Black had been half deranged when the Aurors finally arrested him. He was deemed mentally unfit for trial and was sent to Azkaban.

The thought of a maniac like that loose on the streets was quite frightening. It was this that was being discussed by everybody in the pub. Black had been free for nearly a week now and no one had seen hide nor hair of him. If he truly was insane, how could he be avoiding detection so well? And if he wasn't, what was he up to? Alaw folded up the newspaper and dropped it back on the table with a sigh. Her life in the past year had become nothing but a long list of worries. At first these had been limited to the bullying of her housemates, but then Voldemort had been thrown unpleasantly into the mix. Many people believed – or hoped – that the Dark Lord was dead. Alaw, unfortunately, knew better.

As she was draining her Gillywater, Alaw heard a whooshing noise in the next room which announced the arrival of someone by Floo Powder. The next moment, someone had thrown an arm around her neck from behind and was messing her hair up roughly.

"Oi!" Alaw cried, struggling to free herself. She managed to throw off her attacker and look around angrily, but then a grin spread over her face as she realised who was there.

"Alright Al?" asked Ron Weasley, also grinning. Alaw leapt to her feet and hugged the red-head tightly.

"Prat," she laughed. "Why did you have to scare me like that?"

"Cause it's fun that's why! Anyway, you all ready to go? Hermione here yet?" asked Ron, looking around the bar curiously. Several of the patrons were now staring at them reproachfully for causing a scene.

"I haven't seen her no," said Alaw, shaking her head.

As if on que, the door of the Leaky Cauldron opened and a sodden Hermione staggered in. Her thick, bushy hair was crackling from static and her dark skin glistened with droplets. She looked exhausted.

"It is hammering it down out there," she panted, struggling over to them with a small blue suitcase trundling along behind her. When she reached Ron and Alaw she gave them each a one armed hug before leaning over to rest her hands on her knees.

"Why didn't you get a taxi?" asked Alaw, perplexed and Hermione shook her head, still breathing hard.

"Couldn't flag one down, and the buses were playing up, so I had to walk all the way from Euston. It seems that the whole of the south-east is on the public transport today."

"Well, don't worry," said Ron, taking Hermione's bag chivalrously and trundling it into the Floo Station. "It was glorious weather when I left the Burrow, you can dry off there."

"And you're absolutely sure you're mum doesn't mind us coming to stay?" asked Alaw, shouldering her own dufflebag and following Ron and Hermione.

The Floo Station was a room roughly the same size as the bar with three fireplaces placed along one wall. They were larger than any fireplace Alaw had ever seen in the muggle world, tall enough to stand in without having to crouch and wide enough to accommodate two people comfortably. A bright green fire was crackling in each and a small queue of witches and wizards was waiting before them to take a turn. Every few moments, someone disappeared which a whoosh up the chimney.

"Oh of course not!" said a tall, red-haired man waiting just inside the door. "Molly will be delighted to have you, and so shall I. Arthur Weasley, I'm very pleased to meet you girls."

Mr Weasley offered his hand to Alaw and Hermione, beaming at the pair of them. His hair was as vivid as Ron's, but it was starting to inch back from his forehead a little. He had a very kind smile and Alaw grinned up at him instinctively.

"Yeah, don't worry about mum," Ron chipped in. "She's going to love you two, she likes having girls around the house when all she usually gets is a bunch of boys."

"Thanks for inviting us," Hermione said politely to Mr Weasley who waved a hand airily.

"Not at all, not at all. We've been looking forward to it. Seeing as you're both muggle-born, we'll have bags to talk about! Right, shall we crack on?"

He indicated the queue which they joined. Alaw and Hermione had never travelled by Floo powder before. Though she knew the principle behind it, Alaw didn't feel entirely confident stepping into very real looking flames and spinning around in chimneys. There was also something about the logistics which bugged her.

"If every wizarding fire is hooked up to the Floo Network," she began, eyeing the fireplace dubiously. "How do you stop someone from just walking into your house uninvited?"

Ron laughed and Mr Weasley smiled slightly.

"You can't just say the name of a house and Floo there without permission," Ron explained. "The Floo only lets in family members without a fuss. For everyone else who wants to visit, they have to be brought in by someone who lives at the house. Of course you can give certain people a charm which allows them to talk to your fire, you know, with just the head? But then you have to give them express permission to come through after that."

"Huh, so, like on Facebook you can message someone who isn't on your Friend List, but they can't do anything else unless you accept their request," Alaw mused.

Ron didn't seem to know how to respond to this so he just made a strange shrugging motion. They came to the head of the queue and Ron took Hermione through first. After paying the man leaning boredly against the mantelpiece two knuts each, they stepped into the fire with Hermione's luggage. Ron cried, 'the Burrow!' and they vanished, sucked into the Network in the blink of an eye. Alaw swallowed.

"Ready?" asked Mr Weasley, clapping her encouragingly on the back. Alaw nodded nervously and the pair of them stepped up. Alaw dropped her coins into the waiting hand of the attendant, before climbing cautiously into the fireplace. She dithered before touching the flames, but after a few tries she found it wasn't hot, and therefore stood there clutching her bag in one hand, and holding on tight to Mr Weasley's robes in the other.

"The Burrow!" he cried, and Alaw felt herself start to spin frighteningly.

She didn't like it one bit and she kept her mouth and eyes tight shut in case she vomited or inhaled ash. A couple of seconds later, something pushed her in the small of the back and she toppled forwards onto her hands and knees onto a hard floor covered in a bright yellow carpet. Spluttering, she looked up and saw that they had arrived in a small living room stuffed full of sofas and armchairs. Ron and Hermione had moved swiftly out of the way of the fireplace and Mr Weasley was busy brushing ash off his robes. Two pairs of hands seized Alaw under the armpits, hoisted her off the ground and deposited her on her feet.

"Nice landing, very graceful," said Fred Weasley, grinning.

"Thanks," Alaw said absently, righting her clothes. "I was going for an elegant entrance to impress the family, you know?"

Fred and George, identical to the last freckle, were a year older than Alaw but she had got on very well with them in first year. They always had her back whenever the Slytherins started being aggressive. George grinned cheekily then called over his shoulder,

"MUM! Girls are here."

Alaw heard the clattering of pots and pans from what was presumably the kitchen, and then a plump, red-headed woman appeared at the door to the living room. Much shorter than her husband and sons, she looked a little flustered but beamed when she saw Alaw and Hermione.

"Girls," she said happily. "I'm so glad you could come!"

She negotiated her way around the sofa and came to embrace Alaw, who was surprised, but quite pleased. She wasn't much of a hugger, it took her some time to get to a comfortable touching level with people, but it seemed the Weasleys were an affectionate bunch.

"Ron's told us so much about you!" Mrs Weasley said as she moved to hug Hermione as well. "Everything that happened in your first year. We were so relieved when we heard you were going to be alright after – after everything."

Alaw glanced quickly at Ron who looked back at her a little awkwardly. Alaw wanted to know exactly what Mrs Weasley meant by _everything_. If he really had told his parents everything about their misadventures over the past few months she doubted the pair of them would be quite so at ease. As it was, the Weasley parents took no time in making the girls feel welcome. They migrated to the kitchen where they came across a teenage girl sitting at the kitchen table whose hair and freckles showed that she could be no one but Ron's sister. She was reading _Which Broomstick_ when they entered but put it down to smile at the newcomers.

"You've not met Ginny yet have you?" said Mr Weasley, edging around his daughter so he could reach a cupboard and start pulling out mugs to make tea.

"Hi," said Ginny. Alaw noticed, with a pang, that Ginny's brown eyes lingered on her Slytherin crest for a moment and resisted the temptation to cross her arms over it.

This was precisely the reason she had sown the crest onto her shirt in the first place. She would not be ashamed to be in Slytherin, no more than she would be ashamed to be muggle-born. The two were not mutually exclusive, and neither made her somehow less of a person. Ginny made no comment on her fashion choice and spoke in quite friendly terms to them.

"I'm starting Hogwarts this year," she said, as they all settled around the kitchen table and Mrs Weasley pointed her wand at the kettle to bring it to the boil. "So you'll be seeing a lot more of me. Do either of you play Quidditch? I'm going to try out for the Gryffindor team."

"Alaw has a thing about heights," Ron explained tactlessly. "And you haven't even been Sorted yet Gin! You don't know if you'll be in Gryffindor."

"Yeah, you might be another wild card like Al here," said Fred.

"I'm sure the Sorting Hat will take your choice into consideration," said Alaw, because Ginny was looking reproachfully at her brother. "It did for me, after all."

"What you asked to be – ?!" Ginny started in surprise but Mrs Weasley chose this moment to plonk mugs in front of everyone.

Alaw was glad. She supposed she should be used to people questioning her Sorting by now, but it was still a little tiresome. The old Pureblood families, in Slytherin and out, questioned how a muggle-born could have been Sorted into Salazar's house when he had hated them with a passion. Everyone else questioned how someone seemingly normal on the outside could be placed in the house that had produced more Dark Wizards than any other. The thing none of them could comprehend was that Alaw had asked to be put there. Her Sorting had been distinctly uncomfortable. The Hat had taken an excruciating five and half minutes to choose a house for her, making her a rare Hatstall.

Actually, it had determined that Slytherin would be perfect for her in about ten seconds, the rest of the time had been spent complained about her blood and dithering over the other three houses. It had been on the verge of placing her in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff when Alaw had asked if she could be in Slytherin, despite the rules. It was this request which had made the Hat take a closer look and somehow detect a glimmer of her Druid blood. It was this which had tipped the scale in her favour.

"We've made up Bill and Charlie's room for you girls," said Mrs Weasley, waking Alaw from her reverie. "They're both back in the country for the summer, but they're staying down in London because they still have work to do. I think they'll drop by tonight for dinner."

"I'll show you where you're staying," Ron offered and Alaw nodded, draining her cup and standing up. The Burrow felt somewhat like a warren to Alaw, none of the walls or doors were straight, it was as though they had grown out of the ground rather than being built that way. The stairs were tiny and rickety but they only had one floor to haul their bags up.

"Just chuck your stuff in there," said Ron carelessly, opening a door on the first landing and waving his hand inside.

It was a bright, tidy room with two twin beds and a window which overlooked the front yard. It had the slightly too neat feeling of a disused guest room. Bill and Charlie must have moved out of the family home some years previously. Ron next took them up to his room and as they passed a door with the sign ' _Percival's Room, Please Knock'_ , Hermione piped up,

"Where's Percy? He's not moved out has he?"

"No not yet," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "Though if dad didn't make him come home, I'm sure he'd set up camp in the office. He got a Ministry job see?"

"Wow," said Hermione, sounding impressed. "And him only just finished at Hogwarts. What's he doing?"

"Something in the Department of Magical Cooperation, making the tea for the big boss I reckon. Whatever you do, don't get him started on the subject."

Working the magical Foreign Office actually sounded fascinating to Alaw, but she knew Ron had never got on with Percy. Percy had always been quite decent to her, unperturbed by the dark reputation of her house, he had even turned a blind eye to her staying in Gryffindor tower from time to time. The three of them continued to climb until they reached the very top of the house where there was a single door on the landing leading to Ron's room.

It was about the same size as Bill and Charlie's room, but plastered from floor to ceiling with bright orange posters of Ron's Quidditch team. Hermione rolled her eyes at the waving players and picked her way over to the window through all the discarded clothes and sweet wrappers on the floor. She was still a little soggy from the London rain so she started absentmindedly squeezing the drops out of her hair. Ron flopped down onto the bed and indicated that the girls should make themselves at home. Alaw perched herself on the arm of the frayed sofa and fixed Ron with a beady look.

"Ron, what exactly have you told your mum and dad about what happened in May? You know Professor Dumbledore made me swear not to tell anyone about Voldemort."

Ron winced at the sound of the name.

"Do you think I'm thick? Of course I didn't tell them about – You-Know-Who. I did tell them all about the Dementor though, hard not to, with it all over the papers. Ministry have been going spare trying the find out who leaked the story."

Alaw, Ron and Hermione smirked conspiratorially at one another. In actual fact, it had been Alaw who had written anonymously to the Prophet and told them about the creature which had been terrorising and attacking students all year. The Ministry had forced her to sign a nondisclosure agreement but Alaw had got around the spell by misspelling her middle name. She had already been contacted by the Auror Office about the incident but she had maintained an air of baffled innocence. After all, how could a poor muggleborn be expected to understand how such things worked?

"Everyone went completely bonkers over that article," Ron continued. "So when we all got home, mum grilled us for information. I know the article didn't mention you Al, but somehow she'd got wind that you were involved so I had to tell her something. I stuck to the story you were telling everyone, how the Bloody Baron told you where to go and how you knocked out Quirrel and killed the Dementor. Mum was so impressed that she insisted I invite you both over right away."

"But you didn't tell her Voldemort was possessing Quirrel?" Alaw pressed anxiously. "Or how I survived because of my Druid protection?"

Ron shook his head firmly.

"Nope, not a word. Just your classic Defence Against the Dark Arts assistant gone round the twist."

Alaw snorted and Hermione gave a strange sort of sniff laugh. She glanced anxiously at Alaw whilst Ron was busy opening a Chocolate Frog box but Alaw tried to smile reassuringly at her. Hermione was obviously remembering how cut up Alaw had been over killing Professor Quirrel, but Alaw had now had time to adjust. She'd been attending church with her father over the holidays as usual, and she spent the time wondering if she should be feeling guilty over the death of her teacher. It was a tricky situation because she was certainly responsible for the spell which had made him crumble to ash, but then again she hadn't even known she could do such a thing, and Quirrel had been trying to strangle her at the time.

Oblivious to Alaw's musings, Ron swung himself off the bed and bit the head off his frog.

"Want to go and see my new broom?" he asked, clearly dying to show it to them. Alaw and Hermione dutifully followed him back downstairs and out into the garden.

The Weasleys kept their Quidditch equipment in a shed at the bottom of the yard, just past the chicken coop. Ron chattered about his broom the entire time it took him to untangle it from the rest.

"It's a Cleansweep 9!" he said ecstatically. " _Which Broomstick_ says its way better than the old model. They've sorted out the drag problem with an anti-friction charm. I mean, it'll probably wear off but still!"

He then insisted on showing off his skills in the air and walked the girls over the small orchard the family owned. Hermione and Alaw smiled up encouragingly at him but rolled their eyes once his back was turned.

"Have you heard from Neville this summer?" Hermione asked and Alaw nodded, watching as Ron skimmed the top of the trees.

"Got a letter the other day, sounds like his aunt and uncle got into a row again. But apparently his Gran has been much better this holiday, less snappy was what he said."

"Yes, that's the impression I got too," Hermione mused. "He told me she was really pleased he got involved with the Dementor which sounds strange to me. My parents would have been appalled if they knew!"

The Grangers and the Jones' had no idea their daughters were witches, let alone caught up in dangerous conflicts. It was the law in Britain that the families of muggle-borns be confunded and obliviated to keep them ignorant of their offspring's abilities. Alaw supposed it was just easier that way and it wasn't too difficult to keep her parents out of the loop now that she spent most of the year at university. It would have been nearly impossible had she still been living at home.

"I'm thinking of trying out for Gryffindor," said Ron as he suddenly landed in front of them, spraying dirt everywhere. "The Keeper and the Seeker position are open now cause people have left."

Ron offered to let the girls try out his broom but they both swiftly declined. Neither of them were great flyers, and in fact Alaw had such a crippling fear of heights that when she had encountered a Boggart the previous Halloween, it had taken the form of a bottomless room, hundreds of feet in the air. The three walked back towards the Burrow and as they approached the house, they saw Fred and George standing with the backs to them, talking in low whispers. They didn't seem to hear them as they approached and Alaw distinctly heard Fred say,

"I'm telling you, we need a lot more Doxy eggs than that, not the mention all the other ingredients!"

"Ingredients for what?" asked Ron and the twins jumped.

"Potions homework," said Fred quickly.

"Since when have you two started doing Potions homework?" asked Ron sceptically and George raised an eyebrow.

"Are you suggesting that we have ever let our academics slip? You insult us."

They walked past Ron, Hermione and Alaw smirking and Ron snorted.

"Slip? Those two wouldn't care about exams if you paid them! That's why mum is so pissed off at them recently. They got their OWL results back the other day."

"Not good?" Hermione asked anxiously.

" _Not_ good," said Ron firmly. "Plus, they've been up to something all summer, you know, taking quietly alone, sending secret letters, hiding stuff from mum."

"Oh I hope it's nothing illegal," Hermione groaned. "Doxy eggs are a class-c non-tradable material."

"You're starting to sound like Percy," Ron grumbled.

When the three of them re-entered the kitchen a minute later, they found it much fuller than it had been when they left. Though Fred and George seemed to have disappeared up to their room, Percy had arrived back from work and was talking a mile a minute about something his boss had said to him. He spared the girls a perfunctory 'hello' before launching right back into his speech. But there were two other people sat around the table whom Alaw didn't know. The pair were obviously Weasleys given that they had flame-red hair.

One was broad-shouldered and stocky, rather like the twins. He wore leathery robes and had a burn up the side of his face. The other was thinner and lankier, like Mr Weasley and Ron. The moment he smiled at Alaw she felt suddenly flushed and bubbly and she took his proffered hand eagerly.

"Hi Alaw," he said, still grinning. "I'm Bill."

 **So there you go. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought. Again if you've read this far, you're a star and I am extremely grateful. Things will obviously get more exciting in the next few chapters now that the recapping stuff is out of the way.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note – My so many questions in the reviews! I feel honoured, I wasn't expecting three just for the first chapter. All will be revealed in due course, you are right in thinking I'll be blending PoA and GoF but since this is the second book, I'll be adding some original plotlines of my own, now that the universe has been set up. Stay tuned for more!**

 **Chapter Two**

 **A Rat on the Forest Floor**

It had been a hot day in the forest, most of the small animals which lived there had stayed in their holes and nests to avoid the summer glare. But now the sun was beginning to set and all the creatures started to emerge and go about their nocturnal activities. A few frogs began their chorus of croaking around the pond and a squirrel skittered from branch to branch. It paused at the end of one, swinging lightly, its nose twitching as it detected something not quite right about the gathering dusk. It remained absolutely still for a few moments and then decided to bolt back to its hole. This was a fatal decision. The squirrel squealed horribly as a dark shadow darted out and entered its mind with lightning speed. It tumbled to the forest floor where it lay twitching and squeaking in distress until it went still again, dead.

Voldemort rose from the squirrel with a grim feeling of disappointment. He was used to agony by now, and constant, gnawing, insistent hunger. The lives of small creatures were all he had to keep the hunger and the pain from being unbearable but they were fleeting respites. It was a shame larger animals no longer came to this part of the forest, their lives would have been far more nourishing. But the deer and boar had learnt to avoid this patch of wood since his arrival and humans were even rarer; magical or muggle. Knowing that the squirrel would only nourish him for an hour or so, Voldemort left its body where it was and moved away towards one of his preferred haunts.

He was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost. He slithered with a form no more solid than smoke across the forest floor. If anyone were to look at him, he would appear as a shadow, a shimmer in the dark. At least to the untrained eye. But certain wizards would see him for what he was, which was why he hid in this desolate place. The Aurors had stopped actively searching for him years ago, many thought, or hoped, he was dead. But occasionally one did come looking, and Dumbledore would no doubt have cajoled some of his contacts at the Ministry to start the search again after the fiasco with Quirrel and the Dementor.

Voldemort had barely escaped when Quirrel died. He had fled across the sea in the minds of various muggles, sometimes having to take his shadowy form had travel that way, though it exhausted him. The perilous journey across Europe had taken nearly a month, but now he was back in Albania, hiding from the world. Voldemort's blood boiled as he thought about Dumbledore, and his pawn, Jones. He saw her dull, muggle face when he attempted sleep, her unintelligent eyes. She was Dumbledore's weapon against him, whatever strange power she possessed, it had now bested him twice. He still felt the agony Quirrel had endured when he had tried to strange her, only to find himself crumbling to ash.

And he still saw the flash of green that had rebounded off her as an infant, destroying his body instead. Voldemort had worried at this puzzle for years _. How?_ How had she survived? Was it Dumbledore's doing? He could have placed some unknown protective charm on the mudblood that caused any attempt on her life to rebound. But if Dumbledore was behind it, why had he not placed the charm on any others? Voldemort and his Death Eaters had eliminated plenty of Dumbledore's supporters in the past, why would he protect Jones, but not them? The problem infuriated the Dark Lord more than anything else, he hated that mudblood more than he had ever hated anything or anyone before. He would have his revenge, oh yes. He would make her suffer long and hard for reducing him to this state. He looked forward to that day.

There was a cave of sorts near the stream which fed the pond, little more than an overhanging rock, but it was where the Dark Lord spent most of his time when he wasn't hunting. As he approached he saw the flick of a familiar tail and heard a low hiss. Ah, so Nagini had returned from her hunt too. The massive snake raised her head from her coils and flicked her tongue, tasting the air.

" _Master,"_ she greeted. " _There is danger!"_

" _Danger?"_ he replied, immediately on alert.

He was quite fond of Nagini, he had discovered her upon his return from Britain earlier that month squeezing the life out of a small deer. Normally he would have consumed the soul of such a large creature to sustain himself, but something about her made his stay his hand. He had recognised that she was quite a rare specimen, a cross-breed of two magical species of snake. And she was quite intelligent for an animal and it pleased him to have her around. She could also be useful in detecting potential perils in the vicinity.

" _A human, male, magical, he has been wandering around the forest all day_ ," Nagini informed.

Snakes, like most animals, did not indulge in chitchat. They were not sentient like many ill-informed humans liked to pretend, they did not while away their time wondering about the point of the universe. Their lives and conversations were mainly concerned with very simple things like food, mating and danger.

The presence of a wizard in the forest was quite an alarming prospect but Voldemort didn't immediately take shelter. He had long hoped, though with every passing year his hope diminished, that one of his loyal Death Eaters would come seeking him. There had been rumours for years that he was hiding in this part of the world, it wouldn't be incredibly difficult for a determined loyalist to follow the trail he had left in the magical underworld and find him. But has the years slipped by none had come seeking, apart from that fool Quirrel of course.

So who was this now? It didn't sound like an Auror or one of Dumbledore's toadies, surely they would have more sense than to wander around the forest nosily so that every intelligent creature around would notice them. Then it occurred to the Dark Lord that it might be a hapless wizard from the nearest village who had strayed too far from the road. How delightful, he hadn't consumed a human soul in years. Following Nagini's directions, Voldemort slithered through the trees towards the source of the disturbance. Whoever it was they were making quite a racket as they struggled through the underbrush.

It took the Dark Lord no time at all to locate the intruder. Instead of immediately swooping down into his victim's mind, Voldemort took up position in a tall tree just above the fellow's head. It really was much more entertaining to watch the idiot stumble around below him. He was a very short wizard, stooped, as though he was not used to standing to his full height. He also had a patch of bald on the top of his head, among the matted, sand coloured hair. After a minute or two the man sat down on a log, panting, and wiped his brow on the sleeve of his robes. And it was in that moment that Voldemort felt a jolt of recognition.

The past two decades had not been kind to Peter Pettigrew. Whereas Voldemort recalled a rotund yet healthy man of around thirty, now he saw a man who was showing his fifty years of age. His hair had started to go grey and drop out and he had the look of a person who had lost a lot of weight in a very short space of time. Voldemort took a moment to plan his next move. When he had been back in the UK, he had taken the opportunity to check up on his past followers. Though a few, like Malfoy and Avery, were doing quite well for themselves, a large number had wound up in Azkaban, or dead. Pettigrew had been one of those killed in the madness following the Dark Lord's exile. And yet here he was, looking very ill but definitely alive.

He appeared to be alone and he had a wand clutched in his puffy hand. Voldemort slithered down from the tree and perhaps Pettigrew sensed something because his head snapped around and he sniffed the air in a rodent-like fashion. He could do nothing to stop the attack on his mind however. He squealed and fell to the floor, shuddering, as the Dark Lord embedded himself in his brain.

"Speak," Voldemort hissed. "Speak now, or you shall never do so again."

"My Lord!" Pettigrew whispered, clutching his skull and staying frozen in place, as though he thought movement would speed his doom. "My Lord, I've found you! Oh thank goodness. I have been searching for days, but the forest is so big."

"And why were you searching for me? My intelligence was that you were dead! That Black had killed you."

Black was a name that stirred up some vivid surface memories in Pettigrew and Voldemort paused to examine them. Legilimency was a subtle art, one could not simply look into a victim's mind and pluck whichever information one desired. However, it was possible to skim surface memories and get the jist of what had occurred. This became doubly easy when the victim was asleep or otherwise relaxed. Fear tended to fuzz memories which was why a gentle approach was usually needed. Unless of course one didn't care about damaging the victim's brain.

However Pettigrew's memories were as clear as day and the Dark Lord became less and less impressed which each passing second. Sirius Black had worked out that Peter was a traitor, he had tracked him down to a muggle street in London. Pettigrew, displaying some unusually quick thinking for him, shouted for the muggles and approaching Aurors to hear, that Black had been the traitor all along. He had then performed some very quick magic, severing his own forefinger and blowing up half the street into the bargain.

"Coward," Voldemort sneered. "Been living as a rat all these years out of fear of your old friends. Black may be in Azkaban, but Lupin certainly isn't. And we all know how bad a werewolf's temper can be."

"M-master, please!" Pettigrew begged, still on his knees. "I heard that there had been a Dementor loose at Hogwarts, I knew it must have been you straight away! I was overjoyed to realise you were still alive!"

Voldemort snorted. He could see quite clearly that Pettigrew had only come searching for him once he'd heard that Black had escaped from Azkaban. Pettigrew was not the devout follower Voldemort had been hoping for all these years. He had been loyal in the past, passing on valuable information on the Order and Dumbledore, and another piece of information which nearly got the Dark Lord killed. But Peter had always been in it for his own self-interest. But, one did not look a gift hippogriff in the mouth, so to speak.

"Peter," Voldemort hissed. "You have Lord Voldemort's gratitude. There is much to be done. There is a certain mudblood who needs taking care of."

OoOoO

Alaw slept quite well in Bill's bed until the morning when she woke with a familiar aching pain in her chest. She sat bolt upright in bed and clutched the covers up to her chin, staring wildly around the room as though expecting to see a dark shadow skitter across the floor. But there was nothing on the floor except a beam of sunlight slicing through a gap in the curtains. Hermione was asleep in Charlie's bed and Alaw could hear clattering noises coming from the kitchen below, indicating that someone was cooking.

The pain in her chest subsided but Alaw remained sitting, her heart pounding from the sudden jolt of fear. Voldemort couldn't be here, not at the Burrow on a sunny Tuesday morning, it was too unreal. She had suffered these pains all last year and Dumbledore had revealed to her that she could sense when Lord Voldemort was nearby. She had spent several months puzzling over this fact, she simply couldn't understand why Voldemort had taken such an interest in her in the first place. It was only right at the end of the year, when she had come face to back-of-the-head with the man, had she learnt the truth.

When Alaw had been just a few hours old, Voldemort had tried to kill her. He had done this before with other magical children and nobody could understand why for they had not been random attacks. They had been planned, calculated. The other children had all died over the years but then along came Alaw with her strong Druid protection, and the killing curse had rebounded. Crippled, Voldemort had fled and since then, apparently, he and Alaw had been connected by the curse that failed. Alaw wasn't entirely sure how that worked but she suspected Dumbledore knew more about it that he let on.

So what the fuck was going on now? Voldemort couldn't be here, he just couldn't, Dumbledore had assured her that the Dark Lord had fled abroad once again. Unable to simply sit there and do nothing, Alaw grabbed her rolled up socks and threw them at the other bed.

"Hermione!" she hissed. "Wake up!"

Hermione grumbled and raised her head off the pillow. Her hair was even more insane than it was in the day time and she brushed it out of her eyes wearily.

"What?" she asked irritably.

"My heart hurt again!" Alaw told her.

Immediately Hermione was on the alert. She did a sort of weird twitch that brought her out of bed, onto her feet and halfway across the room before Alaw could blink.

"Oh my god, are you sure?!" she asked fearfully, snatching up her wand from the bedside table and looking wildly around. "But he's not here is he? He can't be here?!"

"I don't know, I – I don't think so," Alaw said, frowning as she tried to concentrate. Her heart felt perfectly fine now. "I was dreaming about him, so maybe that's why it hurt."

Hermione, looking like she had narrowly avoided a heart failure, settled herself back on Charlie's bed and started twirling her wand between her fingers.

"Well, thank god for that. Can you imagine if he turned up here of all places?" she sighed and Alaw shuddered. It didn't bare thinking about. The girls took a few moments to calm down and in that time Alaw became aware of a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. It seemed that Mrs Weasley was making full English.

"What was the dream about this time?" Hermione asked after a while. "Was it like the others? Were you – inside him?"

She looked a little disgusted as she said this and Alaw wrinkled her nose too.

"Yes, I think so, I don't really remember. He was in a forest, it was kind of dark but there was definitely someone else there. A bloke, but I don't know who."

She frowned, trying to remember, but all she could recall was how ill Voldemort's companion had looked. She knew they had spoken and that Voldemort had said the man's name, but for the life of her, Alaw couldn't pluck it from her memory. Hermione was watching her with a shrewd expression.

"Alaw," she began very seriously. "You know what you need to do don't you? You need to write to Professor Dumbledore. Yes, I know how you feel about him -" Hermione added quickly for Alaw had groaned a flumped back on the pillows, "But he is the best person to talk to. Every little detail is important."

"Yeah I know," Alaw grumbled. "I'll write to him sometime today."

"No, you'll do it right now, before we go down to breakfast," Hermione ordered.

Alaw tried to protest, but her grouching got her nowhere and she found herself sitting at the desk over by the window with parchment and quill in front of her whilst Hermione went to have a shower. Once she was alone in the room, Alaw spent a good minute just staring at the blank parchment, at a complete loss for what to say. She had tried going to Dumbledore in the past with concerns about Voldemort. When she had first suspected the Dark Lord was hiding somewhere in Hogwarts castle, she had taken Hermione's advice and informed the headmaster at once. But he had been next to useless then, not seeming to take her worries seriously. Or if he had, he hadn't shared any information with her.

But deep down, Alaw knew Hermione was right, and that Dumbledore was the only person who could put a stop to Voldemort's plans. So, Alaw took up the quill and began to awkwardly scratch out a letter.

 _Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

 _I'm sorry to interrupt your holidays but I have some information about Lord Voldemort which you might find useful. It isn't much, but as Hermione has pointed out, every little helps. This morning I woke up with my chest hurting again like it did in first year. The pain only lasted a minute so don't think Voldemort is actually here. I dreamt about him – from his perspective – living in a forest. I don't remember much but he was speaking to another man. I didn't catch a name but the man looked quite ill and he was wearing grey robes._

 _I don't know if this helps you in your hunt for Voldemort in any way but I thought I should write to you anyway. If the dream was true, then it means Voldemort has another ally. I'm staying with the Weasleys for the rest of the holiday so if you need to contact me I'll be at the Burrow._

 _Yours,_

 _Alaw Jones_

When she was finished, Alaw sat back and read over the letter. It was a little sharper than she would have liked, considering it was addressed to her teacher, but she had little patience with Dumbledore and she preferred to get right to the point. She folded over the letter and addressed it to the Headmaster's Office at Hogwarts before sealing it as best she could. Hermione returned from the shower soon after that and Alaw dashed in before anyone else did to take care of her bodily functions. Once dressed, the girls went downstairs to the kitchen to find Mrs Weasley scolding Ginny for something.

"Really Ginny, I don't know how you do it!" Mrs Weasley said exasperatedly as she held up a pair of daisy yellow robes and tutted at the torn hem. "I just mended this for you last week!"

"It's too long!" Ginny complained, crossing her arms and scowling at the robes. "How am I supposed to do the garden work when I keep tripping over that damn thing?"

Ginny stomped off upstairs and Mrs Weasley sighed in a world weary sort of way.

"She looks lovely in these robes," she told Alaw and Hermione regretfully, "But she just doesn't like wearing them. I swear she'd spend all her time in Quidditch gear if I didn't make her change once in a while. Now, what can I get you girls for breakfast?"

Alaw and Hermione sat down and tucked into the scrambled eggs and bacon Mrs Weasley put in front of them. As they ate they chatted with her and were treated to the tale of when Ron was fifteen and managed to get himself stuck in a tree with accidental magic.

"We spent hours trying to get him down, but he just kept moving higher up the tree. Magic can be funny like that when it first appears," Mrs Weasley said and he girls giggled appreciatively.

"I made my teacher's hair turn pink the first time it happened to me," Hermione said with a reminicant grin. "It was just before the GCSE Physics exam, and he was this awful old sexist who only ever paid attention to the boys. He never took any notice of us girls and when he did it was always with this sarcastic smile. Anyway he was completely ignoring me so the next thing you know - poof! Pink man-bun."

Ron and Fred entered the kitchen at that moment to catch Alaw choke on her orange juice. When she had cleaned herself up she remembered the letter in her pocket and leant across to mutter to Ron,

"I've got a letter I need to send, do you think your mum would mind if I borrowed Errol?"

"How far is it going dear?" Mrs Weasley asked, overhearing this.

"Uh, to Hogwarts. I just want to ask Professor Lupin something about my last exam," Alaw lied smoothly.

"That's fine dear, it's just Errol can't handle trips out of the country. You can send it tonight with Ron's resit paper."

Mrs Weasley gave her youngest son a reproving look and Ron scowled at his eggs. Ron had failed his Defence Against the Dark Arts exam and had been forced to take the resit paper over the summer. It meant he would be at the bottom of the class when term started again. Technically, Alaw had narrowly failed too, but Professor Lupin had put it down as mitigating circumstances meaning she didn't have to do the resit. Alaw knew he was being a bit naughty, but she _had_ been busy worrying about Voldemort at the time.

Fred, who was eating much faster than any of the others, shovelled the last forkful of eggs into his mouth and made to get up from the table.

"Well, have a nice morning kiddos, George and I have plans."

"Oh no you do not!" Mrs Weasley said sharply, brandishing a wooden spoon at the twin. "George is helping Ginny de-gnome the garden this morning, and I happen to remember you and Ron promising to take some eggs down to Mrs Fawcett."

At once, her sons exploded into a tirade of complaints but Mrs Weasley gave them a look that quelled them into silence. Alaw and Hermione watched all this silent amusement. It was quite funny to see two tall lads like Ron and Fred be cowed by their mother. The girls offered to accompany them down to the village so once the breakfast had been cleared away, they donned trainers and jackets, and headed out of the kitchen door. It was a light, breezy sort of day and the sun was making a valiant effort to shine through the clouds. As they trotted down the lane they each held a basket of eggs in their arms.

"You look weird in muggle clothes," Alaw commented. Ron shrugged.

"There's a clothes shop in the village, sometimes we pick something up for whenever we need to go down. I don't mind, but I know some people you'd rather go die than wear jeans. Most wizards think that trousers are dead vulgar."

"Trousers? Vulgar?" Hermione repeated with a giggle. "Why?"

"They show off the shape of the legs," Fred supplied. "It makes some people feel exposed. There was even a big row when Quidditch robes were updated to include britches, but they made sitting on a room a damn sight easier so people calmed down. Can't see what everyone is complaining about to be honest," he added, looking down at himself. "I've always thought I have a fine pair of legs on me myself."

Alaw snorted with laughter, just as they rounded a bend in the hedges and entered the village. Though not quite has frozen in the eighteenth century as Hogsmead, Ottery St Catchpole definitely had an Olde Worlde feel to it. The streets were cobbled for the most part, with only a few patches of tarmac here and there. The muggle post office and pharmacy had plastic signs over their doors but they looked oddly out of place among the wood and brick fronts of the other shops. Alaw knew that this was a mixed village, with muggles and wizards living side by side.

"How do you get on with the muggles around here?" Hermione asked, obviously thinking along the same lines as Alaw.

"Alright I guess. Most of them have lived here their whole lives and have just sort of gotten used to the odd bit of magic. Of course, the occasional confundus charm doesn't hurt either."

Ron and Fred chuckled but the girls looked at each other dubiously. Alaw wasn't sure she liked the idea of wizards randomly confunding muggles left right and centre, it had a mean feel to it. Then again, said muggles would probably drown them in the garden pond if they knew they could do magic, so maybe it was for the best.

There was a market on in the square when they arrived and Alaw peered around interestedly whilst Ron went ahead to drop off the eggs. Wizards it seemed, did not care for synthetic materials. Alaw didn't see a trace of plastic or polyester amongst the displays on the trestle tables, everything was wood, metal or fabric. The girls paused at a table sporting many jars of jam which kept changing colour smoothly from purple to yellow and back again. The muggle lady next to them barely glanced at the psychedelic display and carried on with her shopping as though nothing strange was happening.

"Is that lemon curd do you think? I like that stuff," Alaw said to Hermione, pointing at a jar decorated with check red and white cloth.

"It's an extract of gurdyroot, father makes it himself," said a dreamy voice behind them, and the girls turned to find a short, blond girl standing behind them. She was holding an armful of the jars and they moved quickly out of her way to set them down. "It's quite good on toast, or stirred into tea. It's six sickles a jar."

Alaw's hand hovered uncertainly over her handbag. She wasn't sure if it was worth buying the gurdyroot, never having heard of it before. Thankfully, Ron and Fred came back at that point and rescued her from having to buy anything.

"Oh hey Luna," said Ron, spotting the girl who was now standing behind the stall. "Not seen you in ages."

"Dad took me to Italy for a couple of weeks, we were looking for Crumple Horned Snorcack."

"Oh right, find any this time?" asked Fred, a grin spreading on his face.

"Well, I think I saw something," said Lune seriously. "I caught a picture, and daddy sent it away to the Magizoological Society in Rome to see what they thought. We're waiting for their reply."

"Well, let us know when you get it," said Fred before guiding the other three away, chortling. "She's great Luna, completely mental but good for a laugh. She's really sweet too."

"She's not at Hogwarts is she?" Alaw asked, wondering how she could have missed the airy fairy teenager last year.

"She's starting this year, she and Ginny are quite good friends. Wonder if she and George have managed to clear the garden yet," Fred wondered.

They hadn't. Alaw and Hermione amused themselves by sitting on the garden wall and watching the Weasley siblings running around the garden after the gnomes, who giggled and ducked under brushes. One managed to scale the drainpipe out of everybody's reach until Alaw caught up a pebble from the front yard and chucked it at him. He fell into George's open arms and was promptly hurled over the fence.

All in all, Alaw reflected later than evening after having spent the whole day out in the sunshine, it had been a good start to the holiday.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note – I have to admit, when I read the review from leticiadelacruzarias I couldn't stop grinning for ten minutes, you made my day! It was the nicest review I've ever received. I'm surprised how responsive people have been to this story to be honest. I hope you all continue to like it.**

Chapter Three

Diagon Alley

Staying with the Weasleys gave Alaw her first real glimpse into the lives of ordinary witches and wizards. Hogwarts was all very well and good, but there food simply materialised on the tables, bedrooms cleaned themselves, and life revolved mainly around school work. But at the Burrow, Alaw learnt how to be a real witch. She had often wondered how wizards got their food, because it was bizarre to imagine them walking into a muggle supermarket and picking up microwave dinners. As it turned out, the Weasleys grew a lot of their own food in a vegetable patch at the bottom of the garden.

The girls spent an enjoyable afternoon helping Mrs Weasley bake bread rolls and an apple pie for that evening's dinner. What they couldn't grow or raise for themselves, they traded for with the local farmers, some of whom were wizards but who were mostly muggles. The eggs Ron had given to Mrs Faucet for example had been exchanged for a greased paper bag full of home-made sausages. It was somehow much more satisfying to eat a meal when one knew where all the ingredients had come from.

Mrs Weasley took to the girls in no time, because they were both willing to help her with domestic tasks around the Burrow, something Ginny deemed too girly.

"Such polite girls," Mrs Weasley beamed when Alaw and Hermione automatically starting clearing the table after dinner.

Mr Weasley enjoyed chatting with them for hours on end about everything muggle, and was fascinated when Alaw took out her I-Phone – which was on its last legs due to the lack of battery life.

"Remarkable," Mr Weasley praised as Alaw swiped through the apps and showed him the camera. "Simply marvellous what muggles will come up with! Now what is this Google you were telling me about?"

That little demonstration kept Mr Weasley entertained until the phone finally died and he was forced to hand it back to Alaw with a very disappointed expression. In the evenings, the family and guests gathered in the living room to listen to the radio. The Quidditch World Cup was the main topic of conversation of the WWN – Wizarding Wireless Network – and everyone had been following its progress with great excitement. Everyone except Percy, who was very busy at work and resented all the loud cheering that permeated through his bedroom floor, and Alaw and Hermione, who had next to no interest in Quidditch. They spent their evenings completing their summer homework whilst Ron fought with Ginny for a spot closer to the radio.

Sometimes, when Bill and Charlie popped round, Alaw chatted with them both. Now Alaw had been very taken with Bill from the get go, his stories about Egypt were fascinating and she listened with avid interest. She had lost no time in telling him, on the fourth day of their stay when he next dropped by, how she had been intending to apply for archaeology courses before she discovered she was witch.

"Really?" asked Bill interestedly. "Well you should definitely think about applying to Gringotts once you've completed you're OWLs, you'd be perfect."

"So how do you become a curse breaker?" Alaw asked eagerly, pushing aside her forgotten Astronomy homework.

"Well, you need the right OWLs and NEWTs for a start," Bill explained and he raised his fingers to start ticking off subjects. "History of Magic obviously, even though it's a joke at Hogwarts, Ancient Runes, Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, maybe Care of Magical Creatures if you want to make your application stand out. Oh, and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Then, if the Goblins like you, they send you to Cairo for a year to brush up on Egyptian history. Then you shadow a more experienced Curse Breaker for a while."

"Would you two shush?" Ron hissed from over by the radio. He, Ginny, Charlie and the twins were gathered around it listening to the tiny voice of the commentator issuing from the mesh wires.

Alaw rolled her eyes and returned grudgingly to her work. She didn't mind it really, in fact she usually loved doing her homework. She had only been in the wizarding world a year and the childlike wonder she felt hadn't quite died down yet. Today she was writing a six inch essay about the magical implications of lunar phases. Certain spells and potions, usually very old ones, had to be made at certain times of the month so as to harness the gravitational pull of the moon, and sometimes it's light. The stars also effected spells to a lesser extent but they wouldn't be starting work on that until term started.

When Alaw looked up for her reference text, she caught a glimpse of Mr and Mrs Weasley sitting at the kitchen table in the next room, talking in low voices, with pieces of parchment in front of them. It had only recently come to Alaw's attention how little money the Weasley family actually had. It couldn't have been easy for them to put seven kids through Hogwarts and she was doubly glad that she had persuaded Dumbledore to award the house-cup, and its 50 galleons prize money each – to both Slytherin and Gryffindor.

The commentator's voice became very excited indeed and the boys and Ginny leaned in eagerly to listen.

"And there's Aiden Lynch and Victor Krum tanking up the pitch! Krum dives, Lynch hot on his tail twigs, oh I say!"

"Come on Krum," muttered George, leaning in closer and clutching the armrest of his chair. Hermione glanced up vaguely from _1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi_.

"I thought you were supporting Ireland," she said but the boys all shushed her as the commentator said,

"Oooo! And a nasty crash there for Aiden Lynch, looks like Krum was employing his favourite move, the Wronski Faint! And that's the time out whistle as medi-wizards come onto the pitch."

"We are supporting Ireland," said Ron in a slightly calmer voice. "But Fred and George have five galleons each on Ireland to win, but Krum to get the snitch."

"Hang on," Alaw said, thoroughly confused. "I thought whichever team caught the snitch were the winners."

All the men in the room groaned and buried their heads in their hands disbelievingly. Ginny explained.

"Catching the snitch ends the game and gives the Seeker's team an extra 150 points, but if the other team has already scored more points from the goals, then they win."

"Bulgaria don't have a prayer without Krum," said Ron confidently. "The Irish chasers are too good. Their only chance is to catch the snitch before they're 150 points up."

He stopped talking abruptly as the game started again and Alaw turned to roll her eyes discreetly at Hermione, who nodded in agreement. Apart from the initial excitement of watching fourteen people zoom around in mid-air on nothing but brooms, there was little about Quidditch to capture the girls' attention. The game lasted another twenty minutes during which there was a lot of shouting and groaning. Finally, this Krum character whom Ron seemed to idolise, caught the snitch after Aiden Lynch ploughed into the pitch again. Ireland won by a narrow margin of ten points and the living room erupted in cheers of jubilations. Alaw had to snatch up her ink pot to stop George, who was doing a victory dance around the living room, from knocking the contents all over her homework. Mrs Weasley popped her head around the door, scowling.

"Boys!" she shouted over all the cheering. "Calm down, honestly! You'd think it was England who had won."

It took quite a while for things to settle down in the living room. The Weasley parents came in to sit down as Alaw rounded off her essay with a bit of information about full moon rituals in iron age Britain, and Charlie got into an argument with Fred about Wronski Faints. Mrs Weasley was running her eyes worriedly down a long list of figures, apparently unaware of the escalating voices nearby. Ron, who had dashed upstairs, came back in and plopped down on the carpet beside the girls.

"There you go!" he said proudly. "That's Krum for you."

He shoved a magazine under their noses and Alaw's eyes fell on a photograph of a young man in scarlet Quidditch robes. As with all wizarding photos, the man was moving.

"He looks really grumpy," said Hermione, glancing over Alaw's shoulder.

"Really grumpy?" Ron repeated incredulously. "Who cares what he looks like! He's the best Seeker in the whole world! I'd give anything to see him fly."

But Alaw had to agree with Hermione. Victor Krum had a prominent nose and a buzzcut that was not to her taste at all. They went back to checking over their essays without further comment which sent Ron into a huff for the rest of the evening. The post-match commentary on the radio lasted a little longer and then the news came on.

"Our top stories tonight," the announcer said. "Ireland sweeps to victory at the Quidditch world cup, defeating Bulgaria by 170 points to 160. In business news, the Galleon is down by two knuts against the Dragot for the second day running, our North America editor Penny Singleton has more details later in the program. And chaos at the Ministry of Magic, as the hunt for Sirius Black stretches into its second week."

Mr Weasley glanced up from the Rubik's cube he was puzzling over and gestured to Ginny to turn the radio up. The report continued.

"The Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, today confirmed that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be setting a taskforce of Aurors to guard Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this coming September."

Alaw and Hermione looked up sharply from their essays to glance curiously at each other.

"The move has been applauded by Ministry officials and parents of school attendees who had feared that Black might make a target of the historic institution. Several unconfirmed sightings by muggles suggest that Black may have re-entered the country, with the last report coming in last night from the outskirts of Lichfield, Hampshire."

"Hmph," Mr Weasley snorted as the reporter went into more detail about the alleged sighting. "The public wouldn't be applauding Fudge quite so vigorously if they knew what he'd initially been planning for Hogwarts."

"Why? What was he planning?" Ginny asked eagerly but Mrs Weasley finally looked up from her budget plan.

"Arthur," she said warningly. "What did we say about discussing work in front of the children?"

"Oh Molly," Mr Weasley sighed. "They'll hear about this eventually. "Rita Skeeta has been poking around, so no doubt it will be plastered all over the Prophet by tomorrow anyway."

"What? What will?" the Weasley children demanded. Mrs Weasley frowned as her husband began to explain.

"I heard the whole thing from my office. Fudge got into an argument with Madam Bones about it you see, you could hear them all over the department floor! Fudge had got it into his head to set Dementors around the school, but of course Amelia wouldn't stand for it."

"WHAT?!" Alaw shrieked, nearly upsetting her ink bottle she sat up so fast. She started at Mr Weasley in disbelief. "He wanted to set those monsters around Hogwarts?! After what happened last year?!"

"That was exactly Amelia's reaction," said Mr Weasley gravely. "She shouted him down, said the public just wouldn't stand for it after the scandal broke. He wasn't happy but he gave in in the end. The Ministry's had a lot of bad publicity lately and the last thing they needed was something like this getting out."

Alaw was so angry she couldn't articulate herself properly. She was still fuming an hour later when they all went to bed, cursing under her breath and calling Cornelius Fudge all kinds of names. Hermione was also visibly upset by the news and the two girls said goodnight in quite terse voices.

By the following morning some of Alaw's bad mood had abated for this was the day they had scheduled to go and meet up with Neville in Diagon Alley. Hermione too was more chipper than usual and when the two girls came downstairs into the kitchen, they found something to brighten their moods even further. As usual it was very busy in the tiny kitchen, Mrs Weasley was preparing breakfast and Mr Weasley was running around trying to do up his tie one handed whilst clutching a piece of toast in the other. Percy was also in a rush, buttoning up his robes and dictating to a quill and parchment which was following him around in mid-air. Mr Weasley waved a hasty goodbye to his children and the girls before following Percy at a trot through the back door and disapparating at the bottom of the yard.

"Girls, your letters from Hogwarts have arrived, they're on the table," Mrs Weasley said and the girls made sounds of excitement.

Alaw sat down and took u her letter, which was propped against the jam jar along with Hermione's. Ron and Ginny were already reading theirs over their porridge. Alaw's letter was identical to the others except that her address was written in the spidery scrawl of Severus Snape, her head of house, rather than the neat script of Minerva McGonagall. Hers was also a little thicker than the others and she broke the Slytherin seal eagerly. Sure enough, there was an extra piece of parchment inside, signed by the headmaster.

 _Dear Alaw,_

 _Thank you for bring your dream to my attention. As you rightly say, every small detail counts. However, do not think this is anything for you to worry about. I will look into it of course but you should enjoy the rest of your holidays. If you have any other queries, feel free to write to me again or come to see me in my office when term recommences._

 _Yours,_

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

Alaw flipped the letter over to see if there was anything on the back, but there was nothing. Well, that had been tremendously unhelpful. She wanted information, not assurances! What was Dumbledore looking into? What did Dumbledore know about Voldemort's plans that Alaw didn't? He'd been the same all last year, listening to her concerns, taking her information, but giving nothing but knowing smiles in return.

With an irritated huff, Alaw folded up the headmaster's letter and turned her attention to Snape's. Here, at least, there was something to capture her attention.

 _Dear Miss Jones,_

 _Please note that term will recommence on the 1_ _st_ _of September and that the Hogwarts Express will leave from platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station at 11:00. For information about other station times, please contact the Wizarding Railway Service. Second year students are reminded that they will be sitting their O.W.L examinations in June next year, and that at least two additional subjects are required. Please place a cross in the box next to the subjects you wish to pursue and send this letter back with the returning owl. Text books for each subject are listed on page two._

Alaw ran her eye excitedly down the list of new subjects she could choose from. She borrowed a biro from Hermione, who was taking much longer to decide than her, and marked an x in the box next to Ancient Runes. Even if Bill hadn't told her she needed the subject, she would have chosen it anyway. She had been perusing the syllabus for each subject since the summer began and she pretty much knew what to expect.

"Anyone else thinking of doing Divination?" Ron asked, eyeing his list dubiously. At once, Alaw and Hermione threw him scathing looks.

"Oh Ron, don't chose that old scam," Hermione scoffed. "Everyone knows Divination is a joke!"

"Yeah," Alaw sniggered. "As though the position of some made up shapes in the stars have any impact on our daily lives!"

"But Astronomy," Ron began but the girls cut across him.

"Astronomy is different, that's the stars themselves and their impact on magic. But it's not as though constellations can actually effect the future!"

Despite making their opinions very clear on the subject, Ron ignored the girls and chose Divination. All three of them went for Care of Magical Creatures too, and Hermione chose a third subject, Arithmancy.

"That's doing magic with sums right?" Alaw asked, folding up her subject list and putting it back in the envelope. "No thanks, sounds too much like maths and I was rubbish at that. Barely passed my GCSE."

The three friends were eager to get a move on and they wolfed their breakfast down so fast that they were done before the twins even put in an appearance at the table. Whilst they and Ginny ate, Alaw and Hermione returned upstairs to get changed. As the two of them were hoping to meander around muggle London that day, if they had time, they donned muggle clothes. It was a very warm day outside, the hottest of the summer so far, so Alaw pulled on shorts and a red strappy t-shirt. When everyone was finally ready to go, they lined up in the living room with Mrs Weasley at the head of the group.

"Right, there's a lot to do so can I trust you older lot to get some of your own things this morning?" she asked, glancing down Ginny's supply list.

Alaw was itching to go, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, but some of her anticipation died when Mrs Weasley held out a flower pot full of glittering Floo Powder for her to take. She had already decided that she hated this method of traveling, but it really was the only way to get to the Leaky Cauldron in time to meet Neville. She let Mrs Weasley go through with Ginny first before getting pushing towards the fireplace by George.

"Go on, try not to puke on the other side," he said encouragingly.

Alaw grimaced before throwing her handful of powder into the fire. She took a deep breath and stepped into the flames.

"Diagon Alley!" she cried, a little shrilly, before tensing for the plunge.

As she had the first time, Alaw fell out of the fireplace at the other end and this time managed to bang her forehead on the floorboards.

"Son of a bitch!" she hissed, putting a hand to her temple and picking herself up dizzily.

The Floo Room of the Leaky Cauldron was busier than it had been a few days ago and Alaw found herself shunted out of the way by an older wizard who seemed intent on reaching his destination two seconds faster than was strictly necessary. Alaw spotted Mrs Weasley waving at her from the archway to the pub and navigated her way over to her gingerly. One by one, Hermione, Ron and the twins joined them until there really was no more room in the Floo wing and they spilled out into the Leaky Cauldron proper. At once, Alaw spotted her other best friend, Neville, waiting for them over by the bar.

"Nev!" she cried, hurrying over and giving him a one armed hug.

Neville wasn't as tall as Ron, and his hair was dark and combed over. He was also a little on the chunky side but his round face was handsome in its own way and his smile brightened the whole room. Alaw noticed that he went a little pink when Hermione came over and embraced him too, and raised an eyebrow curiously at him.

"You made it," he said happily. "I've been looking forward to this all summer! Did you lot get your book lists this morning?"

Before the four of them could launch into catch-up conversation and detach themselves from the group, a formidable older witch joined them. She was very tall with iron grey and an old-fashioned lace trim on her purple robes. She looked down at the young people imperiously.

"Ah Neville, you found your friends good. Augusta Longbottom, very pleased to meet you girls," the witch said, proffering her hand to Alaw and Hermione.

Alaw came from a very informal social background and rarely shook hands with anyone, but she was coming to understand that wizarding society was much more traditional. Augusta Longbottom eyed her and Hermione approvingly.

"Yes, Neville's told me all about you, how you both helped him so much during first year. And nice to see you again Ronald, how is your father or late? He and your mother really must come to dinner some time, it's been far too long."

"Dad's good, mum's here with us if you wanted to talk to her," said Ron, and Alaw noticed him self-consciously straighten the hem of his shirt. Neville seemed to read the situation and said,

"Uh, gran, is it alright if I go off with this lot today? We need to get our new text books."

"Well, alright," said his grandmother, a little dubiously. "Just make sure you don't forget anything! You make sure you remind him, girls, he's a good boy but merlin's beard he can be absent minded."

Neville flushed worse than ever and he guided the others out of the pub at top speed. Alaw knew enough not to mention Neville's grandmother or what she had said. She knew how sensitive he could be about his clumsiness, it caused havoc with his potions work after all. Instead, once they were out in the yard that separated the Leaky Cauldron from Diagon Alley she asked what he had been up to all summer.

"Oh not much, Uncle Algy came back from Turkey a few weeks ago and brought me a _Mimbulus Mimbletonia_ , so I've been looking after that mostly."

He pulled out his wand so as to open the wall for them and so he missed Alaw's questioning glance at Hermione. Hermione grinned and mouthed ' _plant_ ' at her. The bricks began to judder and squirm to form the archway they needed and the four friends stepped into Diagon Alley, blinking in the bright sunlight. The street was rammed with Hogwarts students and their families, most with their book lists clutched in their hands. Flourish and Blott's was so full that people were wrestling to get inside and Hermione was the one to lightly suggest they get a few things before trying again later.

"So, what new subjects did you guys pick?" Neville asked as Alaw steered them into Slug and Jigger's Apothecary. It was a smelly shop, and therefore it was relatively quiet as customers tented not to linger.

"Care of Magical Creatures, and Ancient Runes," Alaw said absently, running her eye down the list she'd drawn up the night before of the ingredients she needed. Her potions kit was looking pretty bare at the moment so she paused over the barrel of beetle eyes and took an empty jar out of her bag to refill it.

"I took Magical Creatures too," Neville nodded. He wrinkled his nose at a slab of dragon liver right next to him and reluctantly started looking for a greased paper bag to put it in. "And Divination."

"Oh not you too!" Hermione groaned as Alaw rolled her eyes. "Why have you done that? You and Ron would do much better to take Muggle Studies! At least that's useful."

Neville looked at his feet and mumbled something about his grandmother recommending Divination. Hermione tutted and went looking for shrivel figs. They left the shop ten minutes later and wandered up the high street, occasionally crossing off items on their lists until there was nothing left to buy except their text books.

"I swear, Hogwarts must get a cut of the profits on these books because they make us buy the most expensive ones!" Alaw complained as they walked back towards Flourish and Blott's which was barely emptier than it had been earlier.

The four of them squeezed inside and fought their way closer to the shelves.

"Right," said Hermione in a business like tone, "We all need the _Standard Book of Spells, Grade Two_ , um _, Intermediate Transfiguration_ , Alaw and I need a _Rune dictionary_ , uch, you boys need _Unfogging the Future_ for the Subject That Shall Not Be Named, and, what the hell?!"

Hermione was staring at a cage standing over by the window, which was full of handsome green books. The books were moving, thrashing about and trying to bite each other with what Alaw found on closer inspection, were fangs.

"We all need one of those things," Hermione said in bewilderment. "The Monster Book of Monsters, it says so here. Who on earth set that?"

"Who on earth _wrote_ that?" was Alaw's question. She was peering into the cage and one the books snapped menacingly at her.

They went in search of the shop assistant who looked horrified when they told him they wanted four of the Monster books. He resignedly donned a heavy leather apron and gloves, picked up a pair of iron tongs and approached the cage. The four friends stayed well back as he opened the door with a wave of his wand and wrestled with the books. Some tried to escape into the shop, but the assistant drove them back with red sparks from the tip of his wand. Fifteen minutes later, they thanked and paid the slightly dishevelled assistant and wended their way out of the shop.

"Well that was insane," Hermione tutted, peering into her shopping bag at her copy of the Monster book, now tightly bound with leather straps. "I know Professor Kettleburn is a bit mad, but this is ridiculous!"

Alaw nodded and looked around to see if she could spot any of the Weasley party. There were plenty of people still milling about on the high street, and though Alaw could not spot a single red-head among them, she did catch sight of the sunlight shining off pale blonde hair.

"Hey, Draco!" she called cheerily.

Draco Malfoy, who was standing under an awning for Eeylops Owl Emporium, gave a startled twitch at the sound of his name. Alaw led the way over to him, followed by her less than happy friends. Draco eyed them suspiciously.

"What do you want?" he asked sharply.

"Just to say hello, how have you been?" Alaw asked with determination.

Throughout their first year at Hogwarts, Alaw had attempted, with little success, to strike up a cordial relationship with Draco. She couldn't really explain to herself why, but she found it amusing to watch him struggle. He had been part of Theodore's gang, something of a second in command, but he had never truly bullied Alaw like the others did. Oh sure, he'd join in when they were all ganging up on her and call her all sorts of names when his friends were in earshot, but when he was alone he turned into a completely different person. Alaw had perceived early on that his heart really wasn't in the taunting and he much preferred to leave her alone whenever possible. She had convinced herself that Draco was not a lost cause, that hiding inside him was a decent human being.

"I've been fine, mother and father took me to Paris for a few days," Draco said, a touch of superiority to his voice. He glanced at Alaw's friends and the old sneer returned to his lips. "I don't suppose your parents could afford to go abroad this year, could they Weasley?"

Ron opened his mouth to say something angry but Alaw grabbed his wrist warningly, not taking her blue eyes of Draco's grey ones.

"Still trying your hardest to be as unpleasant as ever I see," she said coolly. "You know, Theodore isn't here, you don't have to impress anyone."

A muscle twitched in Draco's cheek and Alaw could have sworn he had just suppressed an amused snort. As it was, his smirk lessened somewhat as he turned his attention back to her.

"And I can see that you're still as stubbornly friendly as ever," he told her, just as coolly. "Now get out of here before someone sees you."

"What, ashamed to be seen talking to a couple of muggle-borns and a blood traitor or two?" Alaw teased. A slight frown creased Draco's forehead and he looked around before dropping his voice.

"Please, clear off, I'm serious," he muttered a little desperately.

Alaw frowned and looked around herself, but could see no one she recognised from school. She was about to tell Draco not to be so silly when the bell over the door to the shop behind them tinkled, and a tall man stepped out. It was exactly like looking into the future. The man who appeared in the doorway was Draco, but aged up a few decades. The man's hair was just as blonde, but shoulder-length, and his robes were obviously of the most expensive material.

"Friends of yours, Draco?" the man asked. His voice was deep and cultured, and his eyes, like two chips of ice, swept over the group. Draco visibly winced as the man went to stand beside him.

"No, father, just people I know from school," Draco said quietly. "We should go, mother is expecting us."

Draco tried to move away but Mr Malfoy put a hand on his shoulder to stop him escaping. Alaw thought she was the only one who noticed his fingers dig into his son's robes.

"Ah yes, red hair, tatty second hand robes, you must be one of Arthur Weasley's offspring," said Mr Malfoy, smiling at Ron who's ears went a little pink. "I know your father boy, do pass on my greetings when you see him. And let's see, that must make you Miss Jones."

Alaw felt startled that Mr Malfoy knew who she was and she glanced at Draco, but he kept his eyes averted. Mr Malfoy was looking at her with an expression she knew only too well by now, sneering amusement.

"Yes, yes, Draco's told me all about you, and of course it was all over the papers last year. Clever trick, being sorted into Slytherin. I'm surprised the administration allowed it."

"Well, the Hat was insistent," Alaw said stoutly, straightening herself up.

A cold smile was all she got in return before Mr Malfoy guided his son away, his hand still gripping his shoulder tightly. Ron waited until the pair had disappeared into the throng before swearing colourfully.

"Git," he snarled. "Dad's told me all about him. He swans around the Ministry making all sorts of dodgy deals, cosying up to the high-ups."

"I can't believe that's Draco's dad," Alaw said, frowning. "They're so different."

"What are you talking about? They're the spit of each other," said Neville but Alaw shook ahead.

"I know they look similar, I mean their mannerisms. I know Draco says mean things but his heart never seems to be in it, you know? It's like he doesn't really believe the things he's saying."

"Well, you know he never used to be like that," said Ron, now looking thoughtful. The girls looked at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked and Ron scowled darkly.

"We knew him, when we were kids," he said, indicating himself and Neville. "Way before Hogwarts. I was on the local Quidditch team and we used to meet up with other Pureblood kids and have matches a few times a year. Draco was the Seeker for their team, he wasn't that good really it was just because his daddy was loaded. Anyway he was the most spiteful little bastard you ever came across. Used to make all sorts of cracks about me and my family. And you should have heard the way he spoke about muggle-borns, honestly Al! If you knew what he was like, you wouldn't be trying to be so pally now."

"But, Draco's not like that now," Alaw said in puzzlement. "Theodore and Crab and Goyle yes, but not Draco. When they're not around, he's dead quiet."

"Never used to be, he was in charge of that little gang when we were younger. But something happened. The summer before Hogwarts they all had some sort of falling out, I remember them having a big fight after the last match before school started. Then, when we all went to Hogwarts, Malfoy had turned into the grouchy, silent sod we all know today."

Alaw found this information highly intriguing and she looked thoughtfully back at the place where Draco had vanished with his father. She knew of course that people changed as they got older, but so drastically and in such a short space of time? She was curious to know what exactly had caused such a massive shift in Draco's personality.

The day had one more nasty surprise to throw at them before they headed back to the Burrow. The four of them were just making their way back towards the Leaky Cauldron when a middle-aged witch stepped out in front of them. Alaw supposed she ought to have seen this coming, they'd been getting strange looks all day, but she still wasn't prepared for the vitriol about to be unleashed on them.

"You two should be ashamed of yourselves, walking around like that!" she witch spat, gesturing at Alaw and Hermione. The girls looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Sorry?" Hermione asked, confused. The witch was glaring at them with apparent disgust.

"So you should be, don't you know this is a wizard street? Showing off your legs like a couple of filthy muggles! Go back to where you came from!"

Alaw couldn't believe her ears. She wanted to say something angry, to shout at the woman, to call her a racist bitch, but the whole attack had been so unexpected that she was thrown off balance. She felt even worse when a couple of wizards watching the exchange from a shop entrance cheered and clapped.

"You tell them! We don't want no muggle sluts in our street!" one of them called.

Alaw and Hermione edged closer together, feeling like a couple of rabbits caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. Ron and Neville stepped in, snarling at the woman and the men, and leading the girls away. Alaw couldn't understand what had just happened, they had been walking along, not hurting anyone until that point! Why did anyone care what they were wearing?

"Everything alright dears? You look quite upset," said Mrs Weasley when they ran into her in the bar of the Leaky Cauldron. She and Ginny had armfuls of shopping bags but the matriarch of the Weasley clan was looking at the girls in some concern. Neither Alaw nor Hermione felt like explaining, so it was left to Neville to quietly tell Mrs Weasley what had happened.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Scabbers the Rat

Upon their return that day, Hermione had promptly locked herself in their bedroom and could be heard sobbing. Alaw had taken herself off into the orchard where she found the very oldest and most gnarled tree she could, and climbed into his foliage. She just couldn't comprehend what they had done to prompt such an outburst of hate! She knew muggles were disliked by many witches and wizards, it was understandable after the history between the two groups.

And she knew that many looked down on people like her, because they thought she was corrupted by her time with the muggles. Corrupted in what way, Alaw wasn't sure, but she just hadn't expected to be shouted at in the street by a total stranger. She had put up with that sort of thing all the previous year from Theodore Knott and his ilk, but they were the elite, the pureblooded Slytherins, it was to be expected from them. But total strangers? No.

It was getting dark by the time Alaw heard Mrs Weasley calling for her. Alaw curled herself into an even tighter ball and considered simply ignoring her, but her sense of politeness overrode her desire to be alone.

"I'm up here, Mrs Weasley," she called.

Alaw heard footsteps rustling over the grass and then Mrs Weasley came into view at the bottom of the tree.

"There you are dear, Ron's been looking all over for you," she said scoldingly. "Come on down, we're have shepherd's pie tonight."

Alaw untangled herself from the branches and scaled her stiff way down the trunk, dropping to the ground before Mrs Weasley. The Weasley mother looked at her pityingly and helped her pick the stray leaves out of her hair.

"I'm sorry I ran off," Alaw mumbled, tugging self-consciously at the hem of her shorts as Mrs Weasley plucked and tidied. Then she looked down at her clothes and chewed the inside of her cheek uncertainly. "Mrs Weasley, do you think I look – I mean – are my clothes that slutty?"

Mrs Weasley put her hands on Alaw's shoulders and held her at arm's length, a very serious look on her face.

"Alaw, you are a beautiful girl and there is nothing wrong with your clothes, yours or Hermione's. And don't let anyone ever tell you differently."

She pulled Alaw into a hug and Alaw sniffed a little, battling tears.

"It's weird, you know?" she said with a hitch in her voice. "In the muggle world, there are some people who scream at women in the street for wearing too many clothes, for being too covered, and in the wizarding world it's the exact opposite. What gives anyone the right to tell a woman how she can and can't dress? We weren't hurting anyone! We were only showing who we are, and where we come from. Why should we be ashamed of that?"

"Listen to me, Alaw," Mrs Weasley murmured, stroking the girl's hair. "There are people in the world, muggles and wizards, who are afraid of others who are different. They are afraid because they don't understand, and the only way to beat them is to teach them. Ron's been telling me how you tried to get the Gryffindors and the Slytherins to see eye to eye last year, and I think you're very brave for trying. It's easy to hate, but it is brave to love."

And though Mrs Weasley's words were a comfort, and though Bill spent the rest of the evening trying to engage her in conversation about a new tomb that had recently been discovered in the Valley of the Kings, Alaw still carried the weight of the stranger's words in her chest. They stayed with her over the next few days as Ron tried his very best to cheer the girls up by taking them for trips around the Burrow. The weather was idyllic, warm summer breezes played with their hair as they took picnics under the orchard with Ginny and the Twins. More than once they went swimming in the pond on the edge of the Weasley land and Ron even managed to convince Alaw to get on a broomstick and play Quidditch with them one afternoon.

Alaw, with her crippling fear of heights, only hovered a few feet off the ground, swiping at the Quaffle wildly as it flew past her whilst keeping a tight grip on the broom with her other hand. Neville dropped in on them a few times and Mrs Weasley always had a place at the dinner table for him. Alaw got the feeling that he was quite lonely during the holidays, knocking around at home with no one but his grandmother for company. He came to visit one final time two days before they were due to depart for Hogwarts. It was evening, and Alaw was helping Mrs Weasley prepare dinner by cutting up a loaf of bread and buttering each slice. She turned her head slightly when she herd the woosh of the Floo going off and glanced curiously around.

"Neville!" she said in surprise as he appeared at the kitchen door, looking a little sooty from his journey but grinning all the same. "What are you doing here at this time?"

"Oh, we invited Neville to come and stay with us, did I forget to tell you?" Mr Weasley said, following Neville into the kitchen and sitting down at the table with a sigh.

He was in his brown work robes and looked quite exhausted. Mrs Weasley set about making tea for him and just as she was putting the kettle on to boil, Ron and Hermione came downstairs to see what all the noise was about. Just as he had in Diagon Alley, Neville moved to give Hermione hug and once again, Alaw raised her eyebrows. Interesting, he hadn't hugged her or Ron…

"You staying with us till we go to Hogwarts then?" Ron asked as he too sat down at the table, no doubt judging that dinner would soon be done.

"Yes, I'm coming with you to the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow," said Neville pleasantly. He looked quite excited. "I didn't think Gran would let me, but she was all for it! Said she was glad to have more people to keep an eye on me."

Ron turned to look at his parents, both of whom were suddenly absorbed in their own tasks, in some surprise.

"What? How come we're going to London a day early? Where are we going to stay?" he asked. Mr Weasley answered, still fiddling with the clasps on his briefcase.

"At the inn of course, we thought it would be best if we were closer to the station what with so many of us. The Ministry is letting us borrow a couple of cars to drive us there safely."

Alaw and Hermione shared one of their meaningful, womanly glances. Rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, especially this close to the start of term were both rare and wildly expensive. The Weasley parents must have had them booked weeks in advance and Alaw felt a twinge of guilt that they had paid for her room out of their own pocket. She made a mental note to offer to reimburse them at some point. She doubted they would accept, but she had to offer.

What was stranger was the fact that the Ministry was lending Mr Weasley cars for the occasion. In her experience, the Ministry was never particularly helpful, so why the sudden rush of charity? She didn't have much time to dwell on the matter since food was now being plated up and she still hadn't finished buttering the bread. The kitchen soon became crammed as the whole Weasley clan, Hermione, Alaw and Neville sat down to eat their pasta bake. The only people who didn't arrive on time were Fred and George, who only appeared after Mrs Weasley had hollered up the stairs at them. They both looked a little flushed as they quickly sat down and tucked in and Alaw noticed that Fred had a smudge of soot on his neck.

After dinner, Ron suggested they all go into the living room and listen to the radio for a little while, but Mrs Weasley chivvied them all upstairs to see to their packing, as they would be leaving for London the following afternoon. Alaw and Hermione both had their trunks open at the foot of their beds and all their belongings scattered over their quilts. Hermione, ever the organised packer, had a notebook in one hand, a biro in the other, and was taking an inventory of their things.

"Three sets of plain work robes?" Hermione asked, her pen hovering over the list she has drawn up. Alaw bent down to paw through her clothes, extracting the required garments.

"Check," she sighed, holding the robe against herself to check that the alterations she'd had done at Madam Malkin's were alright. The work robes were really more like a dress than anything else, made of light cotton fabric for hot days. She folded the robes up and placed them carefully in her trunk.

"Two outer robes?"

"Check."

In went the thicker, warmer outer robes that did up at the front like a muggle coat.

"Ok, week-end clothes now," said Hermione, turning over the page and running her eye down the list. "Let's see, knickers, socks and bras, already taken care of. Jeans, a couple of t-shirts, our house jumpers, everyday robes,"

"Where are my blue robes?" Alaw asked, searching through the pile in front of her.

"I think they're downstairs on the wash pile," said Hermione absently, now absorbed in her book list.

Alaw left her to it and went in search of her favourite robes. She and Hermione didn't often wear wizarding clothes in their spare time at Hogwarts, preferring their muggle trousers and hoodies, but Alaw was particularly fond of these robes which had been a birthday gift from Neville. She tread lightly on the stairs as it was going on midnight and most people had chosen an early night. As she approached the bottom, Alaw heard angry voices coming from the kitchen and she paused to listen, hoping to catch one of Percy's rants. However, it only took a few moments for her to realise that it was Mr and Mrs Weasley arguing.

"It makes no sense not to tell her, Alaw's got a right to know!" Mr Weasley was saying.

Alaw knew it was rude to eavesdrop, especially on people who had been kind enough to open up their home to her, but no good story ever started with a young person doing the polite thing. And besides, the Slytherin in her was most curious to know what it was she had a right to know. Alaw therefore sunk down onto the bottom step and cocked her head to listen intently.

"Arthur the truth would terrify her!" Mrs Weasley argued. "After everything that happened last year do you really want to send her back to school with that hanging over her head?"

"That's exactly why I think she needs to know! She's already faced You-Know-Who once, she ought to know that his most dangerous supported is out to get her!"

Now that gave Alaw pause. If Ron had been telling the truth, and he hadn't breathed a word of Voldemort's involvement last year to his parents, it was clear that they were far better informed than any of them dreamed. At once, Dumbledore's name sprang to the front of Alaw's mind. Yes, it would be just like him to have a quiet word with the Weasleys before Alaw came to stay with them, warning them of any potential dangers.

"But Dumbledore warned us not to tell Alaw, she's too young for all this."

"She's not a child, Molly. Remember, Alaw is muggle-born. They do things differently where she comes from, she is already legally an adult in her own world and I'm sure it must chafe horribly to be treated like a child in ours. She's a sensible girl, she must understand what all these security precautions mean, the rooms at the inn, the cars, the guard we'll be taking to the station, she will realise that something is up."

"But we don't even know if Black is really after Alaw," Mrs Weasley protested, though she sounded doubtful. Mr Weasley gave a groan, as though this was an old argument.

"Molly, how many times?! The Dementors told Fudge and Dumbledore when they went to inspect Azkaban after the break-out, they told them that Black had been muttering in his sleep for a while. _She's at Hogwarts, I must reach her in time_ , don't you see? He knows that Alaw was responsible for his master's disappearance back in the nineties, he was in You-Know-Who's inner circle after all. He wants revenge on that poor girl and she must be warned, so that she can be on her guard, I don't care what Dumbledore says!"

Mrs Weasley tried arguing further but they were just variations on what had come before, so Alaw rose slowly to her feet and crept back upstairs. So, Dumbledore was keeping secrets again was he? What a surprise. The knowledge that Sirius Black was out to kill her was of course alarming, but not altogether surprising once one examined the facts. No wonder the Ministry was placing Aurors around Hogwarts this year, Dumbledore must have cajoled them into action on her behalf. Alaw was feeling increasingly cross with her headmaster. He had told her at the end of last year that she had been responsible for Voldemort's downfall nineteen years ago, due to her Druidic protection, but what was he doing telling other people? He had made her swear to keep it a secret – an oath she had promptly ignored in favour of Ron, Hermione and Neville. She found his deceptions quite galling to tell the truth.

When she reached the second floor, she let herself into her and Hermione's bedroom, to tell her friend everything she had just learnt.

oOoOo

Despite Mrs Weasley's insistence that they all finish their packing before they went to bed, the next day was a mad rush, as nobody had taken heed. Ron spent a good portion of the morning in bed and then wasted a full hour trying to pack his broomstick without bending any of the tail twigs. Alaw didn't have the opportunity to talk to him and Neville about the conversation she'd overheard because there were so many people rushing about. Mrs Weasley's nerves were shot by the time everybody had dragged their trunks into the living room and assembled before the fireplace.

"Fred, this trunk is a complete mess!" she scolded and she tried to redo the straps holding the trunk closed, but Fred waved her away angrily.

"Yes alright I'll do ok?" he snapped, standing protectively in front of his luggage.

Alaw had noticed how jumpy the twins had been in the past few days, especially when their mother was around. They seemed most reluctant to leave their room unguarded in any case. Whilst Fred battled with Mrs Weasley, Bill and Charlie came in to say goodbye.

"Have a good term," Bill said, surprising Alaw by drawing her into a hug. Alaw felt a warm sensation spread through her stomach whilst lingered even when Bill let go and smiled at her. "Here, I thought you might want to read this before it comes time to send off your application to the Goblins."

He handed her a red, leather bound book with silver lettering on the front. _Magical Ancient Egypt; Anatomy of a Civilization_. Alaw clutched the book tightly to her chest and beamed at Bill, assuring him that she would read it thoroughly. She caught Hermione's eye and her friend smiled knowingly at her. Once Mrs Weasley had pronounced herself happy with all their packing, they dragged their luggage one by one into the fireplace. This was quite a tricky operation given that the trunks were heavy and difficult to manoeuvre. Somehow Alaw managed to get the wheels of hers over the lip of the fireplace and shout 'Leaky Cauldron' before the whole thing tipped over.

Alaw thought she might soon be sick of Diagon Alley, as this was her third visit in less than a month. She and Hermione were sharing room eleven and Ron and Neville were across the corridor in room twelve. After seeing how comfortable their room was, Alaw went back downstairs to the pub and cornered Mrs Weasley who was sitting with her husband at a table.

"Oh don't be silly!" Mrs Weasley said, waving Alaw's offer to pay them back away. "It's our pleasure dear, and besides, we got a very good deal on the rooms."

"Well, if you're sure…" Alaw agonised. She hated the British to and fro of trying to pay someone back for something, where one was rude for not offering, but also for pushing it too far. Her mother was a natural at this sort of thing and always managed to reach a compromise. "I could buy a round tonight?" Alaw offered after a moment's thought. Mr and Mrs Weasley couldn't really refuse this and so both parties felt a little better. Ron came downstairs at that moment with Neville and Hermione in tow.

"Hey, we were thinking of going to look at the shops for a bit," Ron said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"Oh I'd rather you didn't go wondering off on your own right now," Mr Weasley said before Alaw could answer.

He looked a little strained and Alaw suddenly understood why. They wanted her where they could keep an eye on her, in case Sirius Black suddenly jumped out from behind a bin and tried to throttle her. To keep them entertained, Mr Weasley offered to show Hermione and Alaw how to play exploding snap. Alaw sat in her chair feeling quite irritated that she still couldn't talk to the others privately. It would just have to wait until that evening. Tom the barman kept them well supplied with drinks and, when six o clock rolled around, a hearty meal of chicken stew.

As they ate, listening to Fred tell an amusing story about two people in his year who had been caught snogging by Snape, Alaw watched the witches and wizards come and go around them. Occasionally one of them would stop to greet Mr and Mrs Weasley, or simply nod as they passed. At long last, the plates were being cleared away and Alaw was about to fake a yawn and excuse herself, when Mr Weasley turned to Ron.

"Now then, Ron," he said with the air of a man about to broker a compromise. "I know you've been asking for an owl of your own all holiday, and we've already told you that isn't possible at the moment."

Ron nodded moodily and pushed a chunk of potato around his empty bowl with his spoon.

"Yes I know you're disappointed. That why I thought you might like to take this little chappie on instead."

Mr Weasley reached into the pocket of his robes and took out something brown and furry. Hermione, who was sitting opposite them, snatched her hands off the table and glared at the large rat in Mr Weasley's hands. Ron's eyes widened.

"Really?!" he said, taking the rat carefully and squinting at it. "Wow, cheers dad."

"I found him yesterday at the bottom of the garden. Had to save him from a particularly murderous Gnome. You take good care of him, alright?"

It was quite clear that Ron didn't think a rat was a decent substitution for an owl of his own but had enough sense not to complain about it within earshot of his parents. However, when he was safely upstairs with the girls and Neville he started to grumble.

"I don't want this manky old thing!" he grouched, holding the rat by the tail and dangling before his eyes.

"Ron, don't frighten the poor thing!" Alaw tutted, moving to take the unfortunate creature away from Ron. It was shivering in terror so she cupped her hands around it and held it tenderly against her chest. "He looks like he's been in the wars this one. Look, he's got a toe missing!"

She held the rat's front paw gently between finger and thumb where a digit was indeed missing. Hermione wouldn't come any closer than her own bed and glowered at the rodent. Neville peered curiously.

"He's going a bit bald, see? Where the fur is gone, it's gone all scabby."

"Oh great, instead of an owl, I get scabby McScabbers!" Ron complained. Alaw rolled her eyes and sat cross-legged on her bed, stroking the rat absently.

"Anyway, there's something I need to tell you two but you have to swear yourselves to secrecy ok?" she said, nodding at the boys. Curious, they agreed and Alaw proceeded to tell them all about Sirius Black and his murderous intentions. By the time she was finished, Ron looked utterly aghast and Neville was very pale.

"Are you serious?!" Ron gasped. "Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban to come after you?!"

"Well, it's not that surprising. If he was Voldemort's top man then obviously he knew all about him going after me as a baby," said Alaw reasonably, trying to quell the bubble of fear which threatened to burst inside her.

"Oh god, no wonder mum and dad have been so touchy recently. You reckon Dumbledore told them to keep an eye on you?"

"Yeah, sort of thing he'd do isn't it? I'm thinking of going to have a little word with him about it when we get back to school to be honest," Alaw grumbled. She leant across the give the rat back to Ron and in doing so, dislodged her school bag which fell to the floor and spilled its contents everywhere.

"Bugger," she sighed, bending down to collect her quills and books. Neville moved to help her and picked up a muggle file-binder which had popped open.

"What's this?" he asked, frowning. " _Pansy Parkinson, Slytherin_ ,"

"Oi! Give me that!" Alaw cried, hurrying forward to snatch the file away from him but he danced out of her reach.

" _Mother - Beatrix Crabbe, Father - Benedict Parkinson. Weaknesses – 1. Stolen Potions marking scheme (exhibit A). 2. Banned Love Potion under bed (exhibit B)._ What the hell is this Al?"

"Give it back!" Alaw snarled but now Hermione had confiscated the file and was flicking through it.

" _Theodore Nott, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe_ , Alaw!" Hermione said sharply. "Have you got dirt on every person at Hogwarts?"

"Not every person," Alaw said guilty. "Just the dangerous ones."

"Al this is a bit creepy mate," said Ron, frowning as he read the file over Hermione's shoulder. Alaw leapt forward and succeeded in tugging the file out of Hermione's hands. She clutched it protectively against her chest.

"It's my protection," she said stoutly, though her cheeks were warming slightly as they all squinted at her. "You don't know what it's like! It's the only way I can keep Theodore's gang off my back. If they know I've got dirt on them, then they won't bother me – much."

She glared fiercely at the three Gryffindors who seemed to realise it was best not to challenge her on this point. They stood in awkward silence until Neville suggested they should all go to bed, seeing as they had an early start the following morning. He and Ron bade the girls goodnight and went across the corridor to their own room, closing the door quietly behind them. Alaw shuffled around getting ready for bed whilst avoiding Hermione's concerned glances. Once she'd climbed into bed she turned her back on Hermione and opened the file again. She'd been putting it together over the summer, organising the various bits of information she had gathered during first year. She'd been thinking of investing in a wizarding camera in order to add to her collection of evidence, but they were wickedly expensive and she didn't really know how to use them anyway.

Alaw paused at the page headed _Draco Malfoy_ , and read his profile with a slightly wistful air. She didn't have much incriminating evidence against Draco, either he was a very good boy, or he was too clever for her to catch him at it. She did have a small entry about his wand however. That was how they had met, exactly a year ago, in Ollivander's Hogsmead branch. Alaw had been buying her own wand at the time and Draco had been trying to swap his old wand for a new one. At the time it had puzzled Alaw but since then she had deduced that Draco's father must have bought him the old wand, but it hadn't worked. Fearing his father's displeasure, Draco had swapped it for another in secret.

This wasn't exactly the kind of information Alaw would have liked to divulge to Mr Malfoy, though she had already threatened Draco with it last year. She put the file away with a sigh and lay back in bed, wondering just how much she would have to add to it in the following months, to ensure her safety at Hogwarts.

oOoOo

The first of September dawned bright and breezy. The Leaky Cauldron was alive with activity as its guests rushed to prepare themselves for the journey to King's Cross. Alaw donned her muggle jeans and hoody, and was just lacing up her trainers when she heard urgent whispers coming through the half open door onto the corridor. Hermione had already gone down to breakfast and Alaw cocked her head to listen curiously.

"It won't fit! The compartment is full, and we can't put it in the trunk or mum'll see it!" said Fred's voice. He sounded on edge.

"Yeah, yeah I know," answered George. "We'll just have to find some other way of getting it onto the train. Maybe Ron's trunk? She won't check that, he's been a good boy all summer."

Alaw straightened up and decided that this was a good moment to make her presence known. She crossed to the door and pulled it open, eyebrows raised, to find the twins standing just outside Ron's room. They froze at the sight of her as she leant against the door frame, arms crossed.

"You should really check for eves-droppers before having secret conversations in the corridor," she told them, grinning. "Now what are you two up to?"

"What makes you think we're up to anything?" asked George, hiding whatever he was holding behind his back. Alaw gave him her best Slytherin look.

"Come on, you two have been skulking around all summer. This is to do with that joke shop you were going on about last year, isn't it? What happened, Mrs Weasley found out did she?"

"Ah, ever the astute Slytherin," chuckled Fred, shaking his head and smiling. "Yes alright, it's about the joke shop. We've been trying to develop some new products but mum keeps raiding our room and binning the materials. And now she's definitely going to go through our trunks before we get on the train and we have to get this past her."

He tugged the bag George was still holding out of his hands and showed it to Alaw. It was squirming slightly and she frowned at it.

"I could hide it if you like, she'd not likely to check my trunk is she?" Alaw suggested and the twins' eyes lit up.

"Would you? Oh Al, that's would be brilliant," Fred sighed. "We owe you big time."

"I'll be sure to remind you of that," Alaw warned him, taking the bag and holding it somewhat gingerly. At that moment, the three of them heard Mrs Weasley calling for them and the twins scuttled off to answer the summons. Alaw turned back into her room, still holding the bag, and wondering what on earth the twins had cooked up this time.

It was chaos in the pub where people kept tripping over the half a dozen trunks arranged around the door. Alaw opted to sit on top of hers whilst munching a piece of toast to keep out of the way. At ten o'clock, the Ministry cars arrived outside and Mr Weasley led Alaw towards the first. She sat in the back with Ron, Hermione and Neville quite comfortably, a feat that would not have been possible in a muggle car of the same size. Despite London's infamous rush hour traffic, the journey to King's Cross wasn't too bad. The traffic lights seemed to have a knack of changing as the Ministry cars approached and they made it to the station in good time.

Alaw had never been to King's Cross before, as last year she had boarded the Hogwarts Express at Crew which was much more convenient for North Wales. Instead of platform Five and Half, this time she was guided by Mr Weasley through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Alaw was astonished that none of the muggles around them noticed the large crowd of people sinking through the bricks and vanishing into thin air, but she supposed there was some magical trickery involved. The scarlet school steam engine was waiting for them on the other side, billowing smoke over the bustling crowd.

The students trundled their trunks along the platform until they found and empty compartment, and Mr Weasley helped them stow their luggage in the racks over the seats.

"Now, be good, all of you, have a wonderful term," said Mrs Weasley, hugging each of them in turn and holding Ginny particularly tightly.

"Thanks so much for having us, it's been great," said Hermione and Alaw nodded in fervent agreement. Mr Weasley put a hand on her shoulder and said in a low voice,

"Would it be alright if I had a word with you Alaw? Over here?"

Alaw followed him a little way from the group which was now being given sandwiches by Mrs Weasley. Mr Weasley looked grave as he turned to Alaw and she suddenly had an inkling of what he was about to say.

"Alaw," he began. "There is something you ought to know, something Dumbledore does not wish me to tell you. But I think you are an adult and that you are sensible enough to handle the information."

"Mr Weasley, I think I know what you're going to say, and its ok, I already know that Sirius Black is trying to kill me."

Mr Weasley blinked and then sighed.

"Ah, I suppose you overheard Molly and I the other night."

"Yes, sorry, it's just I heard my name and I was curious," said Alaw guiltily. Mr Weasley gave her wry smile.

"Of course you were. Well then I suppose Dumbledore has nothing to complain about since you found out on your own. But Alaw, on a serious note, I want you to promise me that you will stay in the Hogwarts grounds as much as possible this year. Don't go wondering into Hogsmead on your own and certainly not at night. And…" Mr Weasley paused and then took a breath before saying in a rush, "And whatever you might heard, please don't go looking for Black."

"Looking for him?" Alaw asked, perplexed. "Why on earth would I go looking for a murdering lunatic?"

"Just promise me."

"Arthur! What are you doing over there? The train is about to leave!" Mrs Weasley shouted angrily. Alaw looked around and yelped to see that the train was starting to move. She ran towards the door which Ron was holding open and leapt inside.

"Bye! Thanks for everything!" she shouted to the Weasley parents who were waving them out of the station.


	5. Chapter 5

**It has been such a long time since I posted and I apologise profusely. I've had writers block where I just stare at the screen for ages and nothing comes out of my brain except this odd hum. But anyway I eventually managed to get this out so enjoy.**

 **Chapter Five**

 **The Quidditch Cup**

"Right," said Fred once platform 9 ¾ had disappeared beyond the window. "Have fun kids, we're off to find Lee. Ah, Alaw? If you would be so kind?"

He looked at Alaw expectantly and she smirked at him before bending over her trunk and rummaging through the top layer of clothes. When she straightened up once again and handed over the mystery bag she gave the twins a beady look.

"You owe me," she reminded them again. "If I ever have need of your nefarious plots, I'll be sure to call."

The twins grinned and disappeared off down the corridor, leaving Ron, Hermione and Neville giving Alaw odd looks.

"What was that about?" Ron asked and Alaw rolled her eyes.

"Just a little joke shop smuggling, I'll explain in a minute. Shall we find a compartment?"

They dragged their trunks along the train as it rattled its way through the vast suburbs of London until they finally came to an empty compartment. It was a sunny day and Alaw took a seat by the window to bask in the warmth. Ron sat down opposite her with Scabbers' cage perched on his knee. Hermione therefore took the seat closest to the door and it wasn't long before she took out a book. Alaw found herself thinking about her last journey on the Hogwarts Express. She'd only known about the Wizarding World for a few short weeks at that point and she had been brimming with excitement, devouring every text-book that found its way under her nose, much the same as Hermione. She still felt that eagerness now and as they chugged their way out of the capital she felt a bubble of anticipation sprout in her chest.

"Does anyone know who's teaching our new subjects?" she asked after a while. Neville, who was trying to keep a tight grip on a squirming Trevor, answered.

"Professor Trelawney is teaching Divination, she's related to some famous Seer according to Gran."

"Trelawney?" Alaw repeated, casting about in her memory but unable to match a face to the name. "Is she new?"

"No, but she sticks to her tower mostly. I've never seen her in the main part of the school," Neville explained. Alaw snorted, just to highlight her disgust at their subject choice one more time, and went back to gazing out of the window.

"I know that Professor Kettlebern retired at the end of last term, so we'll get someone new for Care of Magical Creatures. And Professor Vector does Arithmancy, she's highly respected in her field," Hermione supplied, and Alaw heard the note of pride in her voice that came from being taught by a well know teacher, or attending an excellent school. It wasn't smugness - well, maybe it was _sometimes_ \- but more a way of counting oneself fortunate.

They spent a good chunk of the morning discussing their new subjects and what they might possibly be doing over the course of the year. Ron was keen to bring up the topic of his joining the Gryffindor Quidditch team, something he did every time one of their friends dropped in on them. Alaw was getting a little sick of it by the time the lunch trolly came by and she went out into the corridor just to escape.

"What'll it be deary?" asked the trolly lady kindly. Alaw eyed the selection dubiously. She couldn't understand why wizards were so enamoured by pumpkins, a thoroughly vile vegetable, so she steered clear of the pasties.

"Uh, a chicken butty and some apple juice please," she decided after a moment's consideration. "Oh, and some fizzing whizzbees."

As she handed over 13 sickles and 3 knuts, then stepped back to let Neville make a selection, Alaw glanced down the length of the train and felt her stomach clench. Theodore Nott and Draco Malfoy were standing by a window several compartments down, talking to Pansy Parkinson.

Please don't look this way, please don't look this way, Alaw preyed in her mind. However luck was not with her that day as Theodore turned his head and caught sight of her. His expression suggested that his favourite TV show had just come on.

"Fuck," Alaw groaned and she grabbed Neville by the upper arm and tugged him back into their compartment.

She retook her seat and watched the door resignedly. Ron was still in full flow about his plans for the tryouts and barely paused to thank Neville when he dropped a pasty into his lap.

"It'll all depend on who's been made the captain this year – thanks Neville – now that Wood's left of course. If it's Angelina I think I'll try and impress her with a Sloth Grip Roll, she likes that sort of thing. But if it's Alicia then I think I should go for something more aggressive. Maybe a Transylvanian Tackle."

"Planning you're next attempt to ask out a girl, eh Weasley?" said a snide voice.

The compartment door had slid open and Theodore stood there with Draco. Pansy it appeared had scarpered. Little wonder, Alaw had saved the girl's life at the end of last year which would have made this attempted wind-up session a tad awkward. Before Ron could open his mouth, Alaw stepped in.

"Fuck off Theodore."

"Language Jones, your mouth is clearly as filthy as your blood," said Draco to which Theodore snorted.

Whilst Ron and Neville snarled, Alaw raised a tired eyebrow at Draco. _Really? You want to play this game again?_ He gazed back at her coolly as if to say, _yes, yes I do_.

"So, you'll be going for the team then will you?" Theodore asked Ron with a sneer. Ron puffed himself up importantly in such an uncanny imitation of Percy that Alaw smiled.

"Yeah, I will, and then we're going to crush you into the dirt," he told the two Slytherins. "The cup is in the bag already."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up Weasley. Everyone knows those Japs are awfully good," shrugged Theodore. Whilst Ron looked confused, Hermione and Alaw bristled.

"Do not use that term!" Hermione gasped. "That's completely out of order."

"Out of order am I? I suppose you'd know all about it, being a mudblood. I'm just saying Hogwarts hasn't a prayer if Weasley gets put on the team. Durmstrang will be sure to give us a kicking before we even get close to Mahoutokoro. Not that they will pick Weasley of course, they'll only want the best to represent Hogwarts."

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked heatedly. "We're not playing any other schools! It's just the inter-house championship as usual!"

The two Slytherin boys looked at him as though he had just dribbled down his front then Draco gave a bark of laughter.

"Ha! I told you, they don't know. I suppose your father's just a bit too junior for them to talk about important stuff around. Shame, I didn't think the Weasleys could sink any lower."

Alaw shot to her feet before Ron could. Cool as a cucumber, she licked the palm of her hand and thrust it towards the intruders.

"Fear the mud!" she cried and the two took hasty steps backwards and she followed in their wake until they had to back completely into the corridor.

"You're disgusting!" Draco told her looking genuinely ill. Alaw dropped her hand and wiped it clean on her hoody.

"Uh-huh, that's me. Now bugger off before feet start connecting to the family jewels. And the next time you come bullying for a fight, I'll be obliged to write to your uncle's rivals in the Wizengamot and expose him for the insider-trader that he is. Have a lovely day."

Taking a leaf out of Snape's book, Alaw turned her back on them before they could have the last word, and slammed the compartment door closed. Hermione had her hands over her mouth to stifle a giggle but Ron was glaring at the closed compartment door.

"I swear, I'm not taking any shit from the Slytherins this year," he muttered and Alaw rolled her eyes as she flopped down in her seat again.

"Yeah, got to hate those Slytherins," she said sarcastically and Ron looked embarrassed.

"Oh, no Al, I didn't mean you, I meant all the others!" he protested but Alaw scowled at him.

"Ron, not every other Slytherin is a racist bastard! What about Cameron and Flora? And Daphne? And Tracy! You liked them."

Ron said nothing but looked suitably put out. The afternoon wore on slowly after that. They had a few more visitors, mostly Gryffindors, but Ernie, Hannah and Susan from Hufflepuff stopped by to chat just as the Express was pulling out of Glasgow. It started to get dark and soon they were leaving all muggle settlements behind, wending instead through mountainous terrain. It was then that the heavens opened.

"There's Hogwarts," Alaw said, pressing her face to the window and peering through the gathering gloom. The lights of the castle were visible across the great black lake. Seeing it again made a shiver of excitement run down Alaw's spine. They passed through a tunnel and then emerged at last into Hogsmead station.

The rain really was coming down hard when they stepped off the train. Alaw wrinkled her nose and pulled up the hood of her cloak, the only wizarding attire she had on over her muggle clothes. Everyone else was already in their dress-like school robes but here and there a muggle-born could be spotted, bright patches of colour in the sea of black. Over the heads of the crowd, Alaw could see Hagrid, the game-keeper, organising the first-years. Hagrid was a good friend of Alaw's, however he looked too busy to disturb so she followed Ron and the others through the throng.

"Quick, let's get a carriage!" he said, splashing over to the lane where a row of horse-drawn carriages were waiting to take the students up to the castle.

As she approached, Alaw ran her eye over the horses and paused, frowning. They were odd looking creatures, obviously magical, with bodies so thin one could see every bone poking out. She glanced around at everyone else but they were ignoring the animals, so Alaw shrugged and clambered into the carriage after Neville. The interior was steamy and cramped, and they were all uncomfortable as they had their luggage jammed in with them. Neville's toad caused a commotion by leaping unexpectedly into Hannah's lap and caused her to shriek shrilly. All in all, they were very relieved when the carriage pulled up outside the main doors of the castle.

"Blimy, hope this doesn't keep up, I wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks after the feast!" Ron exclaimed, shaking his wet hair out of his eyes.

Alaw squeezed the moisture out of her ponytail before trundling her trunk over the large pile at the foot of the marble staircase. The luggage would be taken to their dormitories whilst they were at the feast, or, in Alaw's case, to her room up on the seventh floor. She had been evicted from the Slytherin dungeon just before Christmas the previous year, which was why she now had her own apartments many floors above. They filed into the Great Hall with the rest of the older students and Alaw felt a twinge of regret. She gazed down the length of the Slytherin table as they passed it and wondered if she would ever be allowed to sit there in peace. There was Theodore and Draco with their usual entourage, and sitting a little further down were the Carrow twins, and Cameron Boyle, Tracy Davis and Daphne Greengrass.

They waved at her in greeting, but didn't invite her to sit with them. So Alaw seated herself at the other end of the hall at the Gryffindor table, feeling a little glum. Ron's min was clearly on his dinner for he looked expectantly between the shining golden plates and the staff table where all the teachers were already seated, apart from Hagrid of course. Professor Dumbledore sat in the middle, talking cheerfully to Professor Lupin who looked just as ill and tired as he always did. Alaw often wondered what was wrong with her Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, for she had never known him to look completely healthy. It was common knowledge that he had some sort of long term illness and had to make frequent trips to St Mungo's, causing some disruption to his classes.

At that moment, the new first years came in and the hall fell silent. As they passed, Alaw spotted Ginny in their midst and she smiled encouragingly. She remembered how nerve racking it had been, standing there in front of the whole school, wondering why the hell everyone was staring at this battered old hat. The Sorting Hat had just been brought into the hall by Professor Flitwick on a three legged stool and set down in front of the staff table. Everyone was indeed staring at it by now and after a moment of silence, the rim near the brim opened and the Hat shuddered to life.

"Right then! Let's see what we have this year," it shouted and a few of the first years flinched. Professor McGonagall stood beside the stool and started to read from a roll of parchment.

"Abercrombie, Euan."

The Sorting took a very long time and people starting talking amongst themselves whenever the individual houses clapped a new member. Ron was impatiently checking his watch every few seconds and Alaw heard his stomach growl a couple of times. At long last, when 'Williams, Rose' had been sorted into Ravenclaw, McGonagall took her place at the staff table and Dumbledore stood. The chatter which had filled the hall during the Sorting was muted at once. The Headmaster's silver hair and beard were just as long as they had been the last time Alaw had seen him, and his voice was quite as serene as ever.

"I have a very important and exciting announcement to make after the feast, but for now, please enjoy your meal!"

He sat back down and the plates filled with food.

"What announcement?" Alaw asked curiously as she reached from a fork to spear a few slices of roast beef.

"Who knows," shrugged Ron. "I just hope he doesn't take too long! I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks before we head over to Maestro's."

Maestro's was a live music lounge across the street from the Three Broomsticks and often hosted bands formed by Hogwarts students, but sometimes more established groups played, including Alaw's favourite, _Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls_.

"You've got to be joking!" Hermione cried. "It's belting it down out there!"

Ron looked crestfallen and gazed appealingly around at the other Gryffindors.

"Oh come on, just for a bit!" he pleaded.

"Ron, we've got a week before term starts, that's plenty of time to go to Hogsmeade!" Hermione said sternly. Ron turned to Alaw for support.

"Al will come, won't you Al?"

Startled at being accosted thus, Alaw froze with her fork halfway to her mouth.

"Uh…" she said uncertainly. She had actually been looking forward to going to bed, but now the other Gryffindors were looking at her expectantly. She sighed and lowered her fork.

"Oh alright," she said resignedly and Ron grinned smugly. Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to her Shepherd's Pie.

"You shouldn't let him bully you," she told Alaw, waving her fork sternly. Alaw smiled, shaking her head. The Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, floated by at that moment and bowed to them all.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he said graciously.

"Hello Nick, how was the summer?" asked Neville thickly through a mouthful of roast potatoes. Nick shrugged, making his head wobble on his overlarge ruff.

"Oh, it was quite enjoyable Master Longbottom. Very busy of course what with all the comings and goings, preparations you know."

"What preparations?" Dean Thomas asked curiously and Nick smiled conspiratorially.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. You'll have to wait and see."

Several people pressed the ghost for information but Nick refused good-naturedly. With the ghost being so tight-lipped, the students became more impatient than ever for the feast to be over and for Dumbledore to speak again. Alaw fidgeted through pudding and finally, once all the gateaux, trifles and ice cream had vanished from the golden plates, the headmaster got to his feet once more. Every face in the hall was turned to him.

"Now there are a few of the usual start of term notices to get out of the way first," he said calmly. "Our newcomers ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to all students as there are several rare yet highly dangerous magical creatures living within. Secondly, the caretaker, Mr Filch, has asked me to remind you that magic in the corridors is banned. Classes will begin on Monday next when timetables will be handed out to you by your heads of house. Now, I must tell you all that the inter-house Quidditch tournament will not take place this year."

The hall erupted in muttering and cries of disappointment. Ron's face in particular fell and further down the table, Fred and George looked absolutely furious. Dumbledore raised his voice over the complaints.

"This is because Hogwarts is the host a very important event this year and there will be little time to spare. Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to announce that Hogwarts School has been chosen to hold the Under 21s International Quidditch Tournament."

The hall exploded with noise and Fred Weasley shouted at the top of his voice,

"You're joking!"

This made quite a few people laugh and Ron, Dean and Seamus looked thunderstruck. Dumbledore let the students chatter for a moment before raising his hands for quiet.

"The foreign teams will arrive at Halloween and will be staying with us for the remainder of the school year, competing against us, but also eating, sleeping and learning alongside us. Membership of a school team does not excuse one from classes, although your exams will be post-boned until the summer holidays. Information concerning try-outs for the Hogwarts team will be posted on the house notice boards in the coming days. Now, I think that's everything, so for those of you brave enough to face the rain, enjoy!"

All of a sudden the benches were being scraped back and people were getting to their feet. Everybody was talking about this startling news.

"I can't believe dad and Percy never said anything!" said Ron bitterly as he, Alaw, Hermione and Neville followed the crowd into the Entrance Hall. "I mean, they must have known all along! They could have warned me not to get my hopes up about the Quidditch thing, but no, they kept quiet."

"What do you mean, not get your hopes up?" Alaw asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I can't well try out for the _school_ team can I?" said Ron flatly.

Immediately the girls shouted him down. Alaw shoved his shoulder.

"Don't be stupid!" she said firmly. "You can still try out, what harm can it do?"

"You've got to be kidding, you've seen me play, I'm nowhere near good enough! You don't understand, the Under 21s are really important. These'll be international standard people playing and there's going to be reporters from all over."

Ron seemed determined to be gloomy and Hermione sighed before biding them all goodnight. Before mounting the marble staircase she shot Alaw a look which clearly said 'good luck'. Ron gazed after her with a musing expression on his face which he only snapped out of when Draco Malfoy shoved past him followed by half a dozen of his friends. Alaw quickly stepped out of shoving range and shot Draco the special frown she reserved just for him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note – Guest, you were hoping for all eleven wizarding schools and that is what you'll be getting. I've stuck as closely to cannon as possible, we obviously know the names of seven of the schools already, and the last three I've made educated guesses about. I was going to make them up completely but I didn't want to insult anyone's culture with my ignorance, so I used the old author's fall back and simply pinched from history. Two of the schools did once exist in the real world, and the third I named for a real person associated with the area. See if you can guess which it is. More information on the schools will follow shortly.**

 **Chapter Six**

 **Try-Outs**

The storm has blown itself out by the following morning although the sky was still grey and the occasional rain-drop fell to earth. Alaw was to be found in bed, nursing a hangover and pondering vaguely whether or not she should get up. She and the others had stayed very late in the village, much later than they had been intending to tell the truth. It had been a rather tedious evening as Alaw had had to keep up a constant tide of encouragement and cajolement to convince Ron that he should indeed try-out for the school team.

After reaching for her phone to check the time and then remembering that the thing died when within the school grounds, Alaw dragged herself from the warmth of her bed to stretch and yawn. Her clothes from the previous night were on the floor where she had left them but she stepped carelessly over these to reach the tiny bathroom attached to her room. She briefly considered staying up here to unpack her things, but her stomach rumbled and breakfast called. After dressing in a fresh pair of jeans and her Slytherin polo-shirt, Alaw left her quarters and headed for the Grand Staircase.

The ceiling of the Great Hall was grey to match the sky outside when she entered and there were a handful of yawning people sitting around. Hermione was sitting with Ron and Neville at the Gryffindor table and was just untying the Daily Prophet from the leg of a barn owl when Alaw joined them. When the owl flew off it knocked a bowl of Pixie Puffs over and the tiny corn creatures went hoping all over the table.

"Morning," said Hermione brightly, waving her wand to clean up the mess.

Alaw gave a tired grunt in greeting and reached for a rack of steaming toast. Neither of the lads made any noise at all. Neville looked half asleep his cheek resting in one hand and Ron actually had his head on the table and looked like he was about to throw up. Wondering why they had bothered getting out of bed in the first place, Alaw glanced at the front page of the Prophet and saw that it bore a large picture of a group of wizards and witches in very fine robes and hats. Dumbledore was in the middle of the front row and was beaming up at them. The caption read 'The Titanic Eleven' and the headline at the top of the paper screamed, 'HOGWARTS TO HOST THE JUNIOR CUP!'.

"They were quick off the mark with that," Alaw commented, buttering her toast and glancing around for the marmalade.

Hermione nodded as she ran her eye down the article. It made a change to read about something exciting and non-threatening in the Prophet. As the Hall filled up around them and the boys woke up a little, conversation turned inevitably to the Tournament.

"So who's going to be competing in this thing anyway?" asked Hermione, idly flicking through the rest of the paper to scan the other stories. Ron, predictably, was the one to answer.

"The Platonic League of course! There's been a tournament held at one of the schools every four years for about two centuries. It's a really big deal, it's where the national teams do their talent spotting."

"And what's the Platonic League when it's at home?" asked Alaw, though she thought she's seen the name written somewhere. The trouble was, trying to cram the whole of wizarding history, culture and law into her head had been no mean feat so some things were sure to slip her by. It was Hermione who explained this time.

"They're the best wizarding schools in the world. There are more than eleven schools of course, but these are the oldest, the best and the most prestigious. Let's see, you've got Hogwarts of course," She held up her hands and started to count off the schools on her fingers. "Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, they're the European ones. Ilvermorny, in Massachusetts. Castelobruxo, in Brazil. Um…Uagadou, that's somewhere in Uganda I think but no one's really sure. That's the biggest and most secretive. That's six, come on help me!"

She looked impatiently at the boys who promptly raised their fingers to count.

"Mahoutokoro, in Japan. They produce some of the best Quidditch players in the world. Though the story goes that it was a bunch of students from Hogwarts who got blown off course that taught the game to them in the first place," supplied Ron.

"Nalanda is the best school in the world for Herbology. It's in India but it attracts students from all over south-east Asia too," said Neville.

"Nobody can beat Koldovstoretz at potions though. Everyone who's serious about the subject spends time in Russia," Hermione reminded him. "And New Zealand has the Tasman Institute."

"We're missing one," Alaw said, counting them up. "Surely there's one in China?"

"Oh there is, but all the older ones were abandoned and the newer ones haven't made it into the Platonic League just yet," Hermione confirmed. "The eleventh is actually in Bagdad. The House of Wisdom has been going strong since the eighth century."

"The House of Wisdom?" Alaw repeated in great surprise. "But I've heard of that, it was the centre of learning during the Islamic Golden Age, I thought it was a muggle institution."

"It was joint, a place for scholars of all creeds to study. It became wholly magical after the sack of Bagdad in the thirteenth century."

Fascinated, Alaw descended into earnest discussion with Hermione about the House of Wisdom and eventually the other wizarding schools. Neville chipped in every now and then but Ron merely yawned and stopped paying attention after a minute or two. After they had finished breakfast and Hermione had tired of her newspaper they got up to leave the Hall. Ron was just wondering where they ought to spend the rest of their morning, when he stopped dead in his tracks and stared avidly at a group of people standing at the foot of the marble staircase. Alaw was quite taken aback to see Percy there, talking to Professor McGonagall, Madam Hooch and two other men whom she did not recognise.

One was wearing smart brown robes made of tweed and sported a toothbrush moustache on his lined face. His companion by contrast was flamboyantly dressed in yellow Quidditch robes. He was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet and seemed very excited.

"That's Ludo Bagman!" Ron hissed. "He used to play Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps.

"I thought Percy said he didn't like him," said Hermione, frowning. At that moment the twins appeared beside them and, spotting what they had, Fred cried,

"Percy! Why didn't you say you were coming?"

Percy jumped and looked around wearily.

"Oh, hello you lot," he said unenthusiastically. Fred and George approached the group confidently whilst Alaw and her friends hung back, shy but curious. Ludo Bagman peered at the newcomers interestedly.

"Friends of yours, Weasley?" he asked cheerfully and Percy looked pained.

"These are my brothers Mr Bagman, Fred, George and Ron," he replied, gesturing at them and completely ignoring Neville and the girls. McGonagall checked her watch.

"Mr Crouch, you have that meeting with the headmaster soon," she reminded the other man who nodded.

"Ah yes, well Weasley, I'll leave you to catch up with your family. Ludo, could you send that owl to Madam Maxime for me?"

"Fine, fine," said Bagman breezily. The teachers and Crouch all set off up the staircase and Percy looked after them disappointedly.

"Was that your boss Percy?" Alaw asked interestedly and Percy drew himself up importantly.

"Yes," he said proudly. "That was my superior, Barty Crouch, head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. A very important wizard at the Ministry."

"Not to mention the biggest kill joy you'll ever meet," chuckled Bagman, making the twins snort and Percy look affronted. "Now aren't you going to introduce me to these two lovely ladies?"

Percy scrambled to make introductions.

"Yes, of course! Hermione, Alaw, this is Ludo Bagman, head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. He's here to organise the Quidditch Tournament."

"Yes I'll be popping in and out of Hogwarts for most of the year." said Bagman, bowing slightly. "Lovely to meet you girls."

Poor Neville didn't even get an introduction but before Alaw or Hermione could remedy this, George had jumped in with,

"Can I just say, we loved your commentary at the World Cup, bloody brilliant!"

"Thanks lads," said Bagman graciously. "I'll be commentating all the junior matches too. Well I better get going if I want that owl to reach France before Christmas! Have a nice day chaps."

He tipped them all a massive wink before turning on his heel and heading up towards the owlery. Percy rounded on them the moment he was out of earshot.

"Now listen to me you lot!" he hissed, swelling like a bullfrog. "You're not to go pestering Ministry officials with stupid questions!"

The twins erupted in protests but Alaw, feeling that her headache wouldn't take too kindly to a drawn-out telling off, drew the boys and Hermione away before Percy could work up a good head of steam. None of them felt like chatting much as they walked down the gravel drive towards the lane to Hogsmead. Alaw was still trying to wake up properly and once or twice strayed from the path onto the wet grass because she wasn't paying attention to where her feet were taking her. Eventually they made it into the village and, out of habit, they veered off into the Three Broomsticks. In need of something wholesome and sugary, the four of them ordered Butterbeers and sat down at their favourite table by the fireplace. Alaw liked coming to this put, as one was never sure what one was going to see. On the table next to theirs was a group of muttering Goblins who were pouring over a pile of papers which looked like bills or ledgers. Up at the bar, Alaw spotted Hagrid who was deep in discussion with a grubby looking wizard in a patched old cloak. Hagrid was an enormous man with a lot of bushy black hair, and beard, but despite his fierce appearance he had a kind soul and a heart of gold. Alaw watched his speaking to his companion for a while over the rim of her Butterbeer tankard. They were arguing in muted voices with much gesticulating and glancing around.

After a minute or two Hagrid slid a small leather pouch across the bar towards the man who snatched it up and stowed it hurriedly beneath his cloak. He then extracted a bundle of rag about the size of football from somewhere and shoved it into Hagrid's arms before disappeared through the door of the pub. Hagrid, looking very pleased with himself, got up to follow him but Ron had also spotted him and raised his voice.

"Oi, Hagrid! Over here."

Hagrid jumped and looked around wearily before edging over to their table and fixing a grin on his face.

"Alright you lot?" he said cheerfully. "Good 'olidays?"

"Not bad," Ron said with a shrug. "Got a new broom, I'm going to be trying out for the school team later this week."

"Good on you Ron, well, take care now."

And with that, Hagrid left the pub. Ron frowned after him.

"That was weird, how he didn't want to talk to us? And why was he talking to old Mundungus Fletcher?"

"It looked like he was buying something," said Alaw and then she blew on her drink to cool it. Ron snorted.

"Hagrid knows better that to buy anything off old Dung, blokes as crooked as they come. Anything he's peddling is guaranteed to have fallen off the back of a broomstick. I would touch it, no matter how cheap it is."

OoOoO

Excitement about the Quidditch try-outs mounted as the week progressed. Notices appeared on all the House boards, detailing the schedules and Ron was one of the first to wrestle his way through the crowd to see.

"Friday," he said, joining Neville, Hermione and Alaw at the chairs they had commandeered. He looked a little sick as he sank down into his own. "Friday morning."

Alaw did not enjoy sitting in the Gryffindor common room. It made her very uncomfortable, feeling the constant stares and side-ways glances from the other members of the house. She may have been muggle-born and friend to many a Gryffindor, but that didn't stop the rest speculating about her, or making loud, snide remarks about Slytherin in her presence. Hermione opened an Arithmancy book and stared to read whilst Alaw finished writing a letter to her parents. Neville had brought one of his plants down from the dormitory to tend and it was crooning softly as he pruned its rubbery leaves. Ron started fiddling with the handle of his broom which he had taken to carrying around with him.

"I don't think I can try-out," he said suddenly and all three of his friends groaned. Alaw rolled her eyes and Hermione snapped her book shut with a sigh.

"Yes, Ron, you can. Now stop whining."

He did this at least four times a day and the girls had long since lost patience with him. Neville was also growing impatient but didn't have the heart to snap at Ron.

On Friday morning, Alaw woke earlier than usual and hurried down to breakfast to lend her support to Neville and Hermione. Sure enough, they were arguing with Ron when Alaw arrived.

"I'm telling you Hermione, there's no point. They won't pick me because I'm rubbish!"

"Alaw!" Hermione cried, waving her hand exasperatedly at Ron. "You talk to him because he's doing my head in!"

"Ron," said Alaw firmly, swing her leg over the bench and siting down opposite him. She fixed him with a steely glare. "If you don't try-out, I swear to god I will jinx you down to the Quidditch pitch myself! I am not listening to you complaining for the rest of the year because you didn't even try!"

The Gryffindors who were sitting in close proximity to them sniggered and Ron's ears went a little red. However, the threat did the trick and at ten o clock sharp Alaw, Hermione and Neville accompanied him down to the pitch. Apparently, playing for the school team was a very popular idea and half the school seemed to be gathered around Ludo Bagman and Madam Hooch. His friends wished Ron good luck before going to sit in the stands. Alaw had just sat down on one of the uncomfortable wooden benches when she heard high pitched giggling to her left. Heart sinking, she looked around. Pansy Parkinson and a couple of her Slytherin girl friends were sitting a few rows down and looked up at them over their shoulders. Pansy was a thoroughly unpleasant human being, snarky and vapid. Alaw had actually saved her life the previous year after she, Hestia Carrow and Millicent Bulstrode had been snatched but the Dementor. Millicent, it was interesting to note, was not among them that day, though Hestia was.

"What are you doing here mud-face? Thought you had a pathological fear of stairs."

Ignoring the obvious racial slur and the reference to her fear of heights, Alaw smiled patronisingly at Pansy.

"Well done," she said sarcastically. "Path-a-log-i-cal, that's a very long word. Are you feeling ok? I mean, that's five whole syllables! Sure your brain can cope with it?"

Neville stifled a snigger and Pansy's face twitched into a temporary grimace. She fixed her expression however and said,

"Here to cheer Weasel King on then I suppose. Good, we could do with a laugh once Draco and Theodore knock him off his stick."

The girls turned to face the pitch and Alaw raised herself surreptitiously to look down at the ground. Sure enough, standing a few feet away from Ron, Alaw saw the dark head of Theodore Nott, and beside him, Draco's shiny blonde one.

"If Theodore gets made Seeker, I might just kill myself. He'll be insufferable!" Alaw muttered irritably to Hermione. Madam Hooch's voice drifted up to them faintly from the pitch.

"Remember you're not playing for your house teams anymore," she said sternly. "You're playing for Hogwarts, so I don't want any foul play, alright? Now, Chasers first."

It was a long try-out, so long in fact that Hermione, Neville and Alaw left for a quick lunch around twelve o clock. There was a lot of shoddy flying going on and they witnessed two crashes and four vicious arguments before they had finished their sandwiches. In the end, all three of the Chasers who were chosen were girls, Heidi Smith and Olivia Flint from Hufflepuff, and Daphne Greengrass from Slytherin. Alaw clapped in congratulations for Daphne with whom she had a fairly cordial relationship. She'd spotted Flora Carrow and Tracy Davis sitting in one of the neighbouring stands and she supposed they were there to cheer their friend on.

It wasn't long before the same process began with the Beaters. Fred and George had turned up to try their luck and they were certainly some of the best flyers out there. The competition was fierce however and Ludo Bagman had a long discussion with Madam Hooch before making his decision. Finally, he turned to the expectant crowd and pointed first to George, but also to Ravenclaw girl whom Alaw knew by sight but not name. Alaw turned to look at Hermione and Neville with her eyebrows raised.

"That's interesting," she said and Neville nodded, looking quite shocked.

Alaw looked back down at the pitch and saw the same shock mirrored in the twins faces. She watched as George said something to his brother who shook his head. There was a tense moment as Alaw wondered how Fred would take his rejection. But all was well, as Fred clapped his twin on the shoulder and then went over to congratulate the Ravenclaw girl. She was a tall girl who looked tough enough to knock out half the boys in the year so no wonder nobody else complained.

At long last it was time for the Seekers.

"Come on Ron!" Hermione cried, actually leaning over the stands. Alaw looked at her saddle when she settled back into her seat.

"Do you think he'll make the team?" she asked and Hermione, just as sadly, shook her head.

"We'll take him to the Three Broomsticks to drown his sorrows later," said Neville.

However, despite this gloomy outlook, Ron put up a remarkably good show. Madam Hooch sent the Seeker hopefuls into the air to catch as many of the hundred Snitches zooming about as they could. The worst people were knocked out of the running until only five people remained, including Ron, Theodore and Draco. Madam Hooch then timed each of them individually as they chased a single Snitch, noting down their times on a clipboard. She then drew back to deliberate with Bagman once again. Once they had agreed, the gathered the finalists around them in a semi-circle.

"Alright, it was tough decision chaps, you all did splendidly," Bagman said. "But we're going to go with Cho."

The pretty, black haired Ravenclaw Seeker punched the air and Ron seemed to deflate where he stood. Theodore looked absolutely furious and he started arguing with Bagman immediately, giving himself over to a rather amusing tantrum. Draco's face was expressionless. Alaw, Hermione and Neville passed him on their way to meet up with Ron who had sank down on one of the benches lining the pitch. Alaw gave Draco a sympathetic look.

"Hard luck," she said. "You did well though."

Draco paused and looked at her with a frown, as if he couldn't tell whether or not she was being sarcastic. He didn't answer her, but watched them walk away towards Ron, who had his head in his hands.

"Never mind Ron," sighed Hermione, sinking down onto the bench beside him and patting him on the back. Alaw sat down on his other side.

"Chin up, at least you beat Theodore's time," she said bracingly and Ron shrugged and grunted.

The said Slytherin, Alaw saw to her immense satisfaction, was stomping away towards the castle in a towering temper. Pansy Parkinson and Hestia Carrow were scampering after him. Draco followed them at a slower pace, his broomstick over one shoulder and a blank expression on his face. Alaw supposed that was how he coped with disappointment. They spent the afternoon in Hogsmead trying to console Ron and take his mind off the try-out. As it was fine day, Hermione suggested they take a leisurely walk up to the Shrieking Shack which even in the bright sunlight had an eerie air about it. Alaw and Neville dared each other to go closer but Ron would not perk up enough to join in. Not even when they took him to Honeydukes and bought him a huge bag of Peppermint Toads as a bribe.

He was sullen all the way back to the castle and the girls gave up trying to engage him in conversation, though Neville loyally kept at it. In the Entrance Hall they were waylaid by Ludo Bagman who had been talking to the twins.

"Ah there you are, Ron is it?" the old Quidditch player said jovially. "Yes, excellent flying today, excellent. Actually I wanted to have a word with you about that."

"O-kay…" said Ron, clearly bemused.

"Would you still be interesting in playing for the team?"

Ron's eyes popped.

"Wha – of course!" he cried jubilantly. "But what happened to Cho?"

"Oh nothing, she's fine. I was talking about the Keeper position. You see, all the regular lads left at the end of last year and the rest of the idiots who turned up weren't fit to sweep the floor with their brooms, let alone fly them. And then these two gentlemen told me you were a dab hand at Keeping."

He indicated Fred and George who grinned at their younger brother. Ron looked beside himself with excitement.

"I'd love to!" he cried, his whole face glowing. Bagman chuckled and waved his hand again.

"Come down to the pitch again after dinner and we'll see what you can do. See you later lads, girls."

He bounced off and Ron stared after him, half stunned, until Alaw elbowed him in the ribs.

"There you go Ron, you can stop moaning now," she said, tugging the Honeydukes bag out of his limp fingers and rooting inside for a Peppermint Toad. Ron, seeming not to care about this thievery, turned to the twins suspiciously.

"How come you told him I could Keep?" he asked slowly. Fred rolled his eyes.

"Because you can, you prat. We always used to make you Keep for us and Charlie over the summer didn't we?"

Ron's ecstatic expression returned and he turned to Neville, Hermione and Alaw.

"Let's go to the village, we need to celebrate!"

Alaw popped a toad into her mouth and paused, enjoying the way it hopped around her mouth, before biting down on it.

"Ron, we just came from the village," she pointed out, her mouth still full of toad. "I have a bottle of vodka up in my room which I brought from home. We can open it later after you get back from the pitch if you like."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes – Good Evening kind readers, I really am being slow this time around. But at least I managed to do a decent length chapter this time. No schools yet, but definitely next chapter! Please review and tell me what you think, as always.**

 **Chapter Seven**

 **Hippogriff Mania**

Ron won his place on the school Quidditch team and was in a state of immense smugness for the rest of the week. All he wanted to do was talk about the Tournament which Alaw and Hermione quickly grew sick of, as there was nothing more boring than a blow by blow account of past matches. They took to dropping Ron off in the Gryffindor common room so he could get the Quidditch out of his system with Dean and Seamus, whilst they and Neville went about their own activities. All too soon however, the new term began.

Alaw woke bright and early on the Monday lessons were to begin and dressed for the first time in her school robes. As it was a warm day, she folded up her outer robe and placed it in her bag along with all the text books she had bought over the holidays. This made it much heavier than usual but she didn't want to leave any books behind, in case she needed them in class. So she hefted what felt like a half a ton over one shoulder and made her way down the corridor to wait outside the Fat Ladies portrait. When it opened to reveal Hermione, Ron and Neville, Alaw wasn't all together surprised to hear that they were talking about the Tournament. Well, Ron was, the other two simply looked tired.

"Fred and George said they'd take me out onto the pitch later so I can practise before the whole team get there. They say I haven't quite got the hang of curving shots yet."

"So!" Alaw said loudly, cutting Ron off. "Think we'll get any new lessons today?"

"Oh I hope so, I've been reading up on Arithmancy all week," said Hermione, jumping on the change of topic eagerly.

Ron looked a little put out but Neville joined in with their talk about subjects on the way down to breakfast. When they passed the Slytherin table, Alaw detached herself so she could go and collect her timetable. Snape was still eating so Alaw hovered uncertainly at a point midway down the table. Flora, Tracy and Daphne were sitting a few feet away and Alaw edged surreptitiously over to them. Daphne looked up.

"Al! Over here, come and sit with us."

Alaw gratefully made her way over and dropped onto the bench beside them.

"Congratulations on making the school team," she said to Daphne he grinned somewhat smugly.

"Well, got to represent the house haven't I? I can't believe Gryffindor got two players and we only got one."

"That Weasley twin is quite a good flyer though," said Tracy fairly. "Even if he and his brother are awful cheats.

A few minutes later, Professor' McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout and Snape got up at the staff table and made their way down into the hall proper. Snape had four stacks of parchment floating along beside him and as he moved down the Slytherin table, individual timetables zoomed towards their owners. Every now and then he paused and handed some of the older students their schedules personally, presumably because there was some sort of subject clash that needed to be discussed. When he passed Alaw and the second year girls he simply waved his wand and their timetables flew into their hands. Alaw kept her head bent over her toast until Snape had moved away.

"Excellent, new subjects today!" said Flora appreciatively. "Divination, right after lunch."

Alaw ran her eye down her own timetable and saw that she only had two lessons that day, Care of Magical Creatures immediately after breakfast and Herbology with the Hufflepuffs later in the day. She made to get up but Daphne waylaid her.

"You're not running off to the Gryffindor table again are you?" she asked scornfully. "Sit with us for a change, go on!"

Alaw hesitated and looked around towards the far side of the hall where she saw Hermione gesturing her over. After a moment, she raised her hand to indicate that she would be staying put before sitting back down and helping herself to bacon and eggs.

"I don't understand what you see in those Gryffindors," Tracy complained. "That Weasley is such a wart."

"Hey, you don't have to play Quidditch with him!" Daphne reminded her, waving her fork with had a piece of sausage speared on the end. "He never shuts up, and he keeps cutting across me and the other girls! If he doesn't watch it, I'll knock him off his broom."

"Ron can be a bit annoying at first, but once you get to know him he's not so bad. He'll always have your back," said Alaw.

It was a fairly peaceful breakfast as Theodore Nott and his cronies didn't appear to have noticed that Alaw was sitting at her own table for a change. Cameron, Flora's boyfriend, came to sit with them for a while and Alaw saw that he had acquired a shiny earing over the holidays, to go along with his ACDC tattoo. He entertained them by imitating the look on his father's face when he had seen what his wayward son had done this time and they all snorted into their pumpkin juice. After breakfast Alaw said goodbye to Flora and Tracy in the Entrance Hall and whilst they went down the steps to the Slytherin dungeons, she and Daphne stepped outside to go to their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.

It was a fine, sunny day and the grass was springy and wet underfoot as they crossed the lawn. Ahead of them the Gryffindors were walking and Alaw urged Daphne forward so they could join them. Ron was yet again talking of Quidditch and Alaw, Neville and Hermione drew forward a little so that Daphne could deal with him. She fell into conversation about their training practises quite easily, though they bickered a little. They made their way towards Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest where Hagrid himself was seated on his front porch, knitting. Professor Kettlebern was nowhere to be seen and when they reached the cabin, Hagrid smiled at the assembled class.

"Morning!" he called, laying his knitting to one side and getting to his feet.

"Excuse me," came a drawling voice behind them, "But where exactly is our teacher?"

Heart sinking, Alaw turned and caught sight of Draco, Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle standing at the back of the crowd. It was Draco who had spoken and he was looking at Hagrid with sneering superiority.

"That would be me," said Hagrid proudly and the sneer dropped from Draco's face to be replaced with a look of disgust. Alaw looked back at Hagrid in astonishment.

"Why didn't you say anything Hagrid!" Ron cried and Hagrid beamed.

"Wanted to surprise you. Professor Kettleburn retired at the end of last year so Professor Dumbledore asked me to step in."

Somewhere behind them there came a carrying whisper of ' _what a joke_ '. Hagrid apparently didn't hear for he continued to smile and clapped his hands together.

"Right, got a great lesson planned for you today. We're going to be studying some creatures you might well come across once you leave Hogwarts. They're quite popular as pets see. Now, follow me."

Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the forest and the students jogged to keep up. Alaw could hear Draco and Theodore muttering behind her and at one point Goyle laughed nastily at something they had said. They eventually came upon a paddock which had a wooden fence running around the perimeter. Inside were some quite bizarre looking animals. Alaw had seen pictures of Hippogriffs in her copy of Fantastic Beasts but, as with everything else in the wizarding world, a picture just didn't do the real thing justice. The animals were stamping the ground with their hooved hindquarters as the class clustered around the fence to get a proper look, and eyeing them all imperiously, with their eagles eyes. Pansy Parkinson gave an excited squeak.

"My papa breeds Hippogriffs," she announced loudly. "I've had my very own since I was ten and I've been in competitions half my life!"

Hagrid looked neither impressed nor best pleased by this information. He stroked the neck of the closest beast, a stormy grey, and gave a huff.

"Hippogriffs are beautiful, majestic creates. Ain't right making them race and jump just for our amusement. An awful lot of the poor beasts get hurt in those contests."

Pansy looked most put out and lapsed into sulky silence as Hagrid began his lecture.

"You'll all get a chance to interact with them in a mo, but first, open your books to page 24."

A few members of the class looked at each other in confusion and Theodore Nott asked,

"How exactly are we supposed to do that?"

Hagrid stared at him and many people pulled their textbooks out of their bags. Alaw gingerly extracted her copy of the Monster Book of Monsters from her backpack and showed Hagrid the buckles put on it by Flourish and Blott's.

"Well you've got ter stroke the spine of course!" said Hagrid, as though they were all being very silly. "Dear me, you've got a lot ter catch up on. Now then, who'd like ter come and say hello?"

Unsurprisingly, it was Pansy who volunteered first, and irritatingly she did quite well. Hagrid explained to the others how to approach a Hippogriff in the correct manner, head bowed but eyes fixed on the animal's. It wasn't long before Pansy was perched on the back of the Chestnut Hippogriff and as Hagrid beckoned the other students forward one by one, she took it for a canter around the edge of the paddock.

Alaw was eager to give it a go and bounded forward excitedly when Hagrid waved to her. He led a grey Hippogriff away from its fellows and Alaw positioned herself a few feet in front of it.

"How then Al, give Buckbeak a nice low bow, that's it, don't blink to much now!"

But Alaw wasn't very good at keeping her eyes fixed on Buckbeak's yellow ones and the animal simply did not warm to her. It refused to bend its scaly front knees and Alaw had to retreat hastily. She spent the rest of the class perched on the fence with Neville and feeling very put out whilst the rest of the students petted and rode the Hippogriffs. She had a notepad balanced on her knee and was jotting down what Hagrid was telling them about Hippogriff husbandry, what they ate, where they lived, how they bred in the wild.

"The problem with breeding Hippogriffs for profit, is this obsession with keeping them purebred," Hagrid explained. "You get the same problems with dogs and horses, with such a small blood pool the animals develop loads of diseases and difficulties. That's why I don't pair up my Hippogriffs, they're only semi domesticated this lot and they spend most of their lives living in herds in the forest. I help when it comes time to deliver the foals but they breed with who they like."

"Purebreeding causes genetic diseases, that would explain a lot," Alaw couldn't resist saying and she got a few nasty looks from Theodore and Draco, and from quite a few Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs too.

"Better than jumping into bed with any old muggle," Theodore sneered but Alaw raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

"Yeah, that genetic diversity is a bitch," she said acidly and Ron snorted in laughter.

Hagrid missed the exchange and had to go and check on Lavender Brown, who was being very silly and giggly and making her Hippogriff paw the ground nervously. Draco and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak and Draco was busy patting its beak lazily.

"This is very easy," he said distainfully. "My father is going to have a fit when I tell him we have a half-breed teaching us classes. I'll bet you're not dangerous at all are you? You ugly great brute."

Alaw was the only one paying attention and therefore saw the attack coming before anyone else. Buckbeak reared and Alaw launched herself from the fence, notepad flying, and shoved Draco out of the way. He landed hard on the ground and Alaw shrieked in pain as Buckbeak's talon ripped through her school robes and gouged a deep cut in her upper arm. The whole class flew into a panic and Hagrid was on the scene in moments, restraining Buckbeak as he attempted to get at Draco who was still flat on his back in the dirt, apparently stunned.

"Calm down, calm down everyone!" Hagrid roared as he tied Buckbeak up at the far end of the paddock. The other Hippogriffs were snorting and stamping their hooves from all the noise.

Alaw clutched her arm and felt tears well up in her eyes. There was blood dripping onto the ground and some landed on Draco's robes. He snatched the hem away and scrambled to his feet, very white and shaking badly from the shock. Hermione was beside herself and ran to Alaw's side.

"You complete prat!" she screamed at Draco. "Look what you've done now!"

She gestured at Alaw's tattered arm and there was an explosion of angry voices from the Slytherins.

"It was her own stupid fault for getting in the way!" Pansy Parkinson said shrilly. Draco didn't say anything at all, his face had assumed a rigid numbness and his mouth set into a hard line. Whilst Hagrid wrung his hands over Alaw's injury, Draco left the paddock without a backwards glance, heading for the castle at top speed. Pansy and Theodore vaulted after him and Alaw watched them go sourly.

You're welcome, she thought.

The lesson ended early and after herding the Hippogriffs back into the forest, Hagrid escorted Alaw back up to the castle. He apologised over and over, clearly appalled that things had gone so wrong in his first lesson. Alaw and the others assured him that it had been an excellent lesson and that he couldn't be blamed for Malfoy's idiotic behaviour. Madam Pomphrey gave the cut the once over and within ten minutes had calmly healed it. However she was reluctant to let Alaw go running off at once and kept her in another hour to make sure she didn't react badly to the healing. As it was, her arm only swelled a little and the matron gave her salve to put on it twice a day until the redness went away.

"And don't scratch it, whatever you do!" Madam Pomphrey called sternly after them as Alaw headed off for Herbology.

She was very nearly late, and attached herself to the end of the queue just as Professor Sprout was opening the door to Greenhouse Two. They were repotting Puffapods that day, a fairly mundane task that didn't require partner work. Alaw settled herself down in the far corner of the bed and took the opportunity to look around for Draco. It only took her a little while to ascertain that he wasn't there. Pansy and talking to Theodore a few Pods away and looked very sulky. Odd, had Draco got himself in such a tizz that he was willing to miss class on the first day of school? Alaw heard Professor Sprout ask Blaise Zabini where Draco was but Blaise's answer was noncommittal.

Herbology was the final class of the day for Alaw and Hermione but the boys had Divination after lunch. Neville was flicking through his copy of Unfogging the Future at the Gryffindor table when Alaw arrived, her robes covered in dirt and her hair escaping from its ponytail.

"Do you think we'll do Tea Leaves first?" Neville asked Ron who was shovelling down shepherd's pie. He shrugged, uncaring, and drizzled more gravy onto his potatoes. Neville held the book out to Hermione.

"Could you test me? I don't want to look like an idiot on the first day," he pleaded but Hermione gave the book a very haughty look.

"Sorry Neville, but I am not sullying myself with that drivel," she said snootily. Alaw gave Neville a 'don't even try me' look when he looked appealingly at her.

He left the Hall with Ron when the bell rang looking rather put out. Alaw didn't see the boys until a few hours later when lessons had finished for the day. She and Hermione had been sitting in Alaw's living room for most of the afternoon playing Gobstones and practising for Charms. This didn't feel like work to them and they amused themselves by blowing elaborate and flamboyantly coloured balloons out of the end of their wands. Alaw had just begun to wonder if it was time for dinner when her door opened and Neville and Ron traipsed in.

"Where have you two been all afternoon? And how was the Subject-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named anyway?" asked Alaw, staring at the ceiling and aiming her wand very carefully. There was fly that had been bothering her for half an hour hovering a few feet above her. Then Hermione said,

"Goodness, what's the matter with you?"

Alaw looked around and was shocked to see Neville looking ashen faced and terrified. Ron looked equally grave and the two of them exchanged a look. Then Ron said,

"Look, there's something we need to tell you. It might come as a bit of a shock, but the main thing is to remain calm."

Alaw sat up straight and stared at the pair of them in alarm. Neville took a deep breath.

"When we were in Divination, we read the Tea Leaves, and Professor Trelawney saw something in my cup. Something really bad. Girls – she saw a Grim!"

If he had expected some sort of horrified reaction to this news he was disappointed. Alaw and Hermione frowned at each other in confusion.

"Uh, come again?" asked Alaw. Ron jumped in.

"A Grim! Don't you know what that means?! A Grim is an omen of death! If a wizard sees a Grim, he's doomed!"

Hermione burst out laughing.

"Oh don't be so ridiculous! An omen indeed, there's no such thing!"

"Yes there is!" Ron snarled hotly. "You're muggle-born, you don't understand. Omens are real for wizards, my uncle saw a Grim just before he died! Professor Trelawney was convinced this Grim was coming for Neville!"

Whilst Hermione continued to scoff, Neville sank into a chair on weak knees and buried his face in his hands. Alaw had another concern.

"Hang on," she said, cutting across Ron and Hermione's bickering. "You're teacher told you you were going to die?"

Neville nodded shakily.

"In front of the whole class?"

Another nod. Alaw stood up, her expression livid.

"Right," she snarled. "That does it. Neville, come on! We're sorting this out right now!"

She stalked towards Neville and tugged him out of his chair. She then marched him out of her room and down the corridor, turing sharply at the end onto the Fat Lady's corridor. Ron and Hermione came hurrying after them.

"Al, where are we going?" asked Neville nervously.

Alaw didn't answer but stopped in front of a door halfway down the corridor, within view of the Fat Lady's portrait. Ron caught her arm as she raised it to knock.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. "That's McGonagall's office!"

As head of Gryffindor house, Professor McGonagall had her lodgings close to the Tower. This was also where her out-of-school-hours office was in case any of her Lions needed her. Alaw shook Ron off and rapped sharply on the door.

"Enter."

Ron tried to leave but Hermione grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back as Alaw opened the door and they all went in after her. McGonagall's office was a little Spartan for Alaw's taste. There were a few landscape tapestries on the cold stone walls and the brightest object in the room was a tartan biscuit tin sitting on the desk. McGonagall herself was sitting behind the desk marking some papers. She looked up from these and put down her quill when she saw who it was.

"Miss Jones, what can I do for you?" she asked. Alaw drew herself up.

"Professor, I think Ron and Neville should be taken out of Divination at once and put into a better subject for their O. . Muggle Studies would be best."

If McGonagall was surprised by the young Slytherin's boldness she did not show it. She merely raised her eyebrows a fraction.

"I see, and why do you think this?" she asked. Ron cut in, rolling his eyes.

"Don't listen to her Professor, she's being stupid."

"I think I can decide that for myself, Mr Weasley," said McGonagall with a quelling look towards Ron. "Now then, is Divination not your liking Mr Longbottom? Miss Jones seems quite determined that you should not continue with it."

Neville shuffled his feet and looked at the carpet. Alaw knew that Neville was intimidated by his head of house and she nudged him pointedly.

"It – it's nothing Professor, really! Today we were reading the tea-leaves and Professor Trelawney saw a Grim in my cup! The girls think it's nonsense."

"It's more than nonsense!" Alaw exploded angrily. "It's outrageous! Professor Trelawney can't go around predicting students' deaths, scaring the living daylights out of them! It's completely out of order!"

For a brief moment McGonagall looked quite smug. Then she sighed.

"I can assure you that this is nothing out of the ordinary for Sybil Trelawney. She has consistently predicted the death of one student a year ever since she began teaching. I believe she thinks it an impressive way to greet a new class. Not one of those students has died yet."

Neville and Ron looked abashed and Alaw grinned like a Cheshire cat. She did so enjoy being right. Professor McGonagall shuffled through a stack of papers on her desk and extracted a second year timetable.

"If you truly wish to change subjects, I think we can accommodate that. It's only the first week of term after all and I see that none of your other subjects would clash with the electives. What do you say, gentlemen?"

Ron and Neville exchanged looks. Alaw could tell that no matter what she, Hermione or Professor McGonagall said they were still going to believe Trelawney's prediction. However, Hermione piped up before either of them could refuse.

"You should take Muggle Studies, you always liked coming with us to Dufftown with us and I think it would be really interesting for you. And we can help you with homework and things, much better than Divination."

Ron muttered something under his breath to Neville and the two descended into whispered debate. Eventually Ron said,

"Alright, we'll try Muggle Studies. But only because I heard there's a bit where we get to do those films you showed us last year, the superhero ones you know?"

oOoOo

As it turned out the boys had no regrets about switching subjects in the end. There was much whispering in Gryffindor Tower about Neville's supposed Grim and many disapproving looks when Alaw and Hermione dismissed it all as nonsense. But Neville seemed a lot happier knowing he wouldn't have to go back to Professor Trelawney's classroom and hear about how he was doomed once a week, and when he and Ron came back from their first Muggle Studies lesson they couldn't shut up about it.

"It's brilliant!" Ron said, the moment he found the girls at the Gryffindor table at lunchtime on Friday. "Charity has got all these different muggle devises in her classroom. Dad has all that junk too but hers actually work! She charmed them to work around Hogwarts, well, sort of, but there's this thing that plays about a hundred different songs!"

"Wow, a hundreds songs on one devise?" said Alaw, raising an eyebrow and Hermione stifled a chuckle. Ron and Neville seemed to miss the sarcasm.

"We'll be starting with the technology module. Today we were just going through the course, but next week Charity going to tell us how ecletricity works," said Neville proudly.

"Electricity, and its Professor Burbage to you," said Hermione sternly.

Alaw let the boys natter on, only half listening as she ran her eye down the homework they'd been given in Ancient Runes. As she had hoped, the lesson had been fascinating, though not at all magic heavy. Professor Babbling, an elderly and apparently dotty witch, had explained their course aims to them once the relatively small class was assembled.

"As I hope you all know by now, magic is not at all permanent," she had explained. "Most common spells don't last longer than a few hours, and even the most powerful defensive charms break on the death of the caster. The only way to extend the life of a spell is to inscribe the enchanted object or building with runes. The most advanced runes are used to create ward stones such as the ones protecting the Hogwarts boundaries. But you can forget about doing anything like that this year. Before you even think about trying to infuse runes with magic, you have to know what you're writing."

Which was why their first homework assignment was to commit a runic alphabet to memory and to write a short essay about why runes could be infused with magic in the first place, and why wizards didn't simply use modern western letters. Alaw knew the basic theory but she needed to ferret out a good book in the library for more information. The idea of runes was fairly simple, they were infused with magic because they had been created by humans, specifically wizards, but so few people could read and write at the time that they hadn't been corrupted by being extensively used by muggles.

Any magic the Latin alphabet once had had been slowly leeched away over the centuries. So that was why only the very oldest texts were used, Scandinavian, Celtic, Egyptian, Middle-Eastern and Asian texts worked best. There was also the question of blood. Ones ancestors mattered in the use of runes, the closer on the family tree of wizards you were to the creators of an alphabet, the easier the magic would be. For example Alaw had been given an Ogham alphabet to learn as it had originated closest to her homeland. It perhaps wasn't as pretty as the Anglo-Saxon Futhark runes Hermione and the other English students had been given, but Alaw was determined to commit it to memory all the same.

"Charity said we should come along to Dufftown with you guys tomorrow and see muggles first hand," said Ron and Alaw looked up distractedly from her worksheet, chewing on the end of a pencil.

"What? Oh, yeah, it should be quite good. You'll want to go to the cinema again I suppose?"

Alaw had finally set aside her homework in order to eat her beef casserole when there was a commotion further down the table. She paused, the spoon halfway to her mouth, and looked around curiously. A group of Gryffindors and anxious Hufflepuffs from the next table over were clustered together and talking in fearful voices. Fred, George and Lee Jorden detatched themselves from the crowd and came over to Alaw and the others. Lee held up a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Have you see this?" he asked them, putting the paper on the table so they could see the front page, which sported yet another mug-shot of Sirius Black. "Black's been sighted not too far from here."

"What?!" said Hermione in alarm, snatching up the newspaper and scanning the article. "Oh my god, it says he was seen on the outskirts of Dufftown. A muggle woman saw him and called the police but by the time the Aurors got there he'd vanished."

Alaw felt an icy chill in her heart. Dufftown was uncomfortably close to Hogwarts. Ron and Neville were looking at each other again and Alaw narrowed her eyes at them.

"What's up with you two?" she asked suspiciously. Ron looked very serious.

"It – its just, Professor Trelawney warned us this would happen! She said that something we were dreading would happen soon. A looming danger."

"Well that's fucking convenient," Alaw spat, suddenly gripped by a surprising anger. She was scared and jumpy, she didn't need Ron spouting his rubbish. The others looked startled and Ron countered,

"Come on Al, this proves that she knows something!"

"Yeah, it proves she's a damn convincing con!" Alaw cried. She got up and snatched the paper away from Hermione. "Don't be such an idiot Ron, this how these people work! They say something vague that could come true, and when something happens you're stupid enough to connect the two! I don't need to hear this right now ok?"

And she stormed off, leaving the others staring after her in shock. All apart from Hermione, who was sensible enough to hurry after her a few moments later.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note – Ok, so I lied. No schools yet but I found I had more to say in this chapter than I thought I did. But plenty of Draco for those of you who like him. As always, thank you for the reviews and feel free to comment and critic.**

 **Chapter Eight**

 **War and Peace**

The following morning when Alaw and Hermione came down to breakfast they discovered that the trip to Dufftown had indeed been cancelled. Ron and Neville hadn't bothered to come down with them as they were still probably hiding from Alaw's wroth. Alaw was too busy feeling sorry for herself to care where they were but made a mental note to herself to go and apologise for shouting at them as some point.

"Look on the bright side," said Hermione encouragingly as she ladled porridge into a bowl for her friend. "Now we have plenty of time to learn those runes."

Alaw scowled down at her porridge and pushed it around the bowl with her spoon. Her grouchiness had less to do with the fact that they weren't going to Dufftown, and more to do with Sirius Black himself. Her fear, which had taken a backseat during the first week of term, had now returned with a vengeance and was manifesting itself as irritability. Hermione knew this already and was careful not to set Alaw off for the rest of the meal. Alaw didn't want to snap at her friends but it was incredibly difficult when she was so nervous and jumpy. As they left the hall they came across Theodore and Crabbe at the foot of the marble staircase. Upon seeing them the two smirked.

"Staying here mudbloods?" Crabbe shouted after them as they climbed the stairs. "Scared Sirius Black might get you if you go outside the castle?"

"Yes, I've heard he did some terrible things to your sort during the war, I'll tell you about it sometime!" Theodore crowed.

Alaw gripped the banister a little harder than was necessary as she climbed at double pace and they soon left the Slytherins behind them. She didn't really feel like going to the library on a Saturday morning but Hermione dragged her there, saying it was better to do something productive than spend all day moping. Predictably it was fairly quiet in the library when they arrived as most sane people were either in bed or still at breakfast. There was a group of fourth year Hufflepuffs at one of the big tables near the front of the room, and Blaise Zabini was reading in an armchair with his head resting in one hand.

"Right," Hermione whispered, running her eye down the reading list Professor Babbling had given them. "The books we want are just down here."

They moved off down the shelves and Hermione found the book on Futhark quite quickly. She went away to find them a table whilst Alaw continued to search, somewhat half-heartedly, for the Ogham dictionary. When she reached the end of the shelves she walked into someone as they came around the corner.

"Watch where you're going!" Draco hissed at her, bending to pick up the books which had fallen out of his arms when they collided.

"Sorry, I was miles away," said Alaw. Then the title of one of the books made her swoop down and grab it before Draco could lay his hands on it. _War and Peace_ , by Leo Tolstoy.

"Why on earth are you reading this?" she asked in great surprise. Draco snatched the book away from her with an alarmed expression.

"Don't touch that!" he snarled. "You'll get your slime all over it!"

He then stuffed the book out of sight behind all the others as if it was something indecent and scuttled off, scowling. Quite bemused, Alaw continued in her search for the _The Secret Languages of Ireland_ by R. A. Macalister. Once she had located it she then had to track Hermione down and found her in their usual corner by the window where sunlight was streaming in. Draco had vanished and the moment Alaw sat down, she told Hermione everything.

oOoOo

Though Alaw shared almost every lesson she had with Draco, she didn't get a chance to talk to him for several days. She knew he wouldn't appreciate her coming up to him whilst he was surrounded by his Pureblood friends and Alaw had a policy of avoiding them wherever she could anyway. She had plenty to keep her occupied whilst she waited for an opportunity however. Their second Care of Magical Creatures lesson wasn't nearly as exciting as the first, but it was still interesting in its own way. When Alaw, Hermione, Neville and Ron had visited him on Sunday afternoon Hagrid had been threatening to show them nothing but Flobberworms for the rest of the term. Thankfully, Neville had nipped that snoozefest in the bud by heavily hinting that he would love to learn about creatures that might help him in Herbology or Potions.

Hagrid had taken heart at their interest and had presented a Dugbog to them the very next day.

"It's hideous," Pansy Parkinson said, wrinkling her nose as she and the rest of the class peered down into the box of moss and slimy mud. At first Alaw couldn't even see the Dugbog, but then one of the pieces of wood moved and she realised that it had stubby little legs and rows of razor sharp teeth.

"Not the prettiest animals, no," Hagrid agreed. "But it's important ter know about 'em. They can give a nasty bite to anyone walking through swamps without proper gear."

"Why would anyone want to walk through a swamp?" asked Draco, voicing Alaw's internal question.

"Ter look for potion ingredients in the main. And these little blighters can play merry hell with Mandrakes. They chew 'em up underground so ye don't know they're ruined 'til ye pull 'em up."

They were also studying creatures in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Well, perhaps creatures was a misleading term, as Professor Lupin explained.

"You are all aware that there are three classifications of magical creatures which the Ministry employs. Beasts, Beings and Spirits. However, there is a fourth class which you need to be aware of, Non-Beings. These are somewhat like spirits but have never truly been alive. They are created and sustained by human emotion. Can anyone give me an example?"

Hermione of course was the first to raise her hand and Lupin nodded to her.

"Dementors sir," she said and a few people looked around at her or each other. They were of course all remembering the hullabaloo last year with the rogue Dementor.

"Well done, five points to Gryffindor," said Lupin approvingly. "Yes, Dementors are an extreme example of what happens when human emotion manifests itself in the worst way possible. However, there are other much less dangerous non-beings such as Boggarts, Ghouls and Poltergeists."

Alaw wasn't the only one to snort at this. Anyone who had met Peeves could tell you he was far from harmless. In their first lesson Lupin had outlined their schedule for the rest of the term which would be devoted to the study of Non-Beings. During their second, he had brought in a live ghoul and had them all take turns forcing it back into the clock it lived in. Alaw had had plenty of practice doing this last year when she had been taught how to produce a Patronus. She had a lot of fun demonstrating this whilst the others used sparks and jinxes to drive back the ghoul. Theodore Nott's eyes had nearly popped out of his head when a silvery dragon burst out of the end of Alaw's wand and flew towards the ghoul. Even the majority of the Slytherins joined in the applause afterwards. Alaw had done her best not to look too pleased with herself.

At long last Friday rolled around again and with it, Potions. This would be Alaw's chance to talk to Draco. For reasons best known to himself, Snape had forced the two of them to sit next to each other since the beginning of last year. He had made some adjustments to the seating arrangements this term, they no longer sat with Theodore and Pansy for a start. Perhaps Snape had been tired of the constant explosions and arguments. Now Alaw sat across the table from Blaise and Daphne, neither of whom seemed likely to pay much attention to anything she said to Draco as they worked.

"Settle down," Snape drawled as he swept into the dungeon. The Gryffindor boys who had been talking loudly sat down at once and fell silent. All faces turned to the front of the class as Snape flicked his wand and instructions appeared on the blackboard.

"Today you will be brewing a fairly straightforward pain-reliever, but before you all start making a mess of that I have to tell you about your O.W.L coursework."

Beside Alaw, Draco sat up a little straighter and poised his quill to take notes. She knew how seriously he took his Potions work. Snape did not look at all pleased as he began to explain.

"For reasons I cannot fathom, the Ministry wishes all O.W.L students to gain some experience of _team-work_."

He pronounced this last word with a contemptuous sneer.

"As I am a slave to the system, I can do little to change this. You will therefore be working with a partner on your coursework. There are a number of potions to be chosen at this stage of your studies and I will assign each pair a concoction which will need to be completed by Christmas. You will work on these potions in your own time, gather the ingredients yourselves and discover the method without my help."

There were a few muted groans among the students. Partner work could be a real pain in the backside if one was stuck with someone incompetent. Alaw had a feeling Snape would assign her with someone foul simply for the sheer pleasure of it. Maybe she'd end up with Pansy, or Goyle, or, worst of all, Theodore. Alaw could see him scratching out names on a piece of paper at his desk as they started work, using his wand to rearrange the pairings. As fires ignited beneath each potion and people began to jostle around the supply cupboard, Alaw opened her potions kit and positioned her scales. Draco was already adding scoops of dried peppermint leaves to his scales as he waited for the water in his cauldron to start boiling. Alaw attended to her own leaves and waited for the dungeon to fill with vapour before initiating conversation.

"I've been meaning to talk to you for ages," she said in an undertone whilst crushing up for myrtle leaves into a gooey paste with a pestle. Draco frowned slightly, keeping his eyes on his cauldron.

"What did I do to you this time?" he asked irritably.

"Nothing, it's about that book you had in the library the other day."

Draco stiffened and turned his head to glare at her, then seemed to think better of it and smoothed his features into sneering indifference.

"What about it?" he asked coolly.

Alaw didn't answer immediately, her water was boiling out of control and she had to quickly prod the flames with her wand and reduce them. Then she turned her attention back to Draco.

"War and Peace is a muggle novel, where did you get it? I thought you'd burst into a flames if you ever touch something muggle."

"Nonsense Jones, I wasn't reading anything of the sort. That was a wizarding book. Now kindly leave me alone so I can get on with my work."

"Draco, I saw the author's name, that book is famous so don't treat me like an idiot." Draco chose to ignore this so Alaw raised her eyebrows. "Of course, I could always speak a little louder and let the whole class know you were reading a muggle book. I'm sure your friends would be fascinated to hear about it."

Across the table, Daphne smiled down at the Flobberworm she was mincing. Draco gave an irritated growl and gave in.

"Merlin's beard Jones, I don't think I've ever met anyone quite so irritating in my entire life! Fine, I was reading a bloody muggle book. Happy?"

"Quite content, yes," said Alaw, grinning. "So where did you get it?"

"Flourish and Blotts, they've got a section of muggle 'classics', though I don't see what makes it such a classic. It's so boring!"

"Yes I've heard it can be heavy going. You didn't chose a very good starter book I must say. But why buy it in the first place? You hate everything to do with muggles!"

Draco shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably.

"I – well I was just curious. I've always been told that muggles can barely read and write, so I thought I'd have a good laugh!"

"Bear in mind that book has been translated into English from Russian," Alaw warned. "And like I said a lot of people think it's too long. What kind of books do you normally read? Maybe I could recommend something you'd –"

"Fascinating though this literary discussion is Miss Jones," said Snape, right behind the pair of them. "It hardly has anything to do with Potions, does it?"

Draco and Alaw jumped out of their skins and whipped guiltily around. Snape must have been standing behind them for some time, unnoticed by either of them. Had they been Gryffindors, they would have been docked a good ten house points each, but they were Slytherins, and Snape had to be more creative in punishing his own. The potions master's lip curled as he looked between the two students.

"As you two seem to work so well together, I believe you'll make an excellent partnership on your coursework project."

Around them a few of their fellow students sniggered, Theodore loudest of all.

"Bad luck Draco," he snorted sympathetically.

Draco turned furiously back to his potion and refused to look at Alaw for the rest of the lesson. Alaw rather sheepishly concentrated on her own work and by the time the bell had rung, she had produced a serviceable pain-reliever.

OoOoO

Nobody was keen to start work on their potions projects and people dragged their feet for the next couple of weeks. As the evenings grew darker and the weather developed a bite in early October Alaw and her friends preferred to laze around in her room than work. They'd been given horribly tricky potions to create and only Hermione had started reading up. She and Neville would be making Polyjuice Potion and Alaw had secretly been relieved when she heard the pairings. If Ron and Hermione had tried to work together it would have turned into a term-long argument. As it was, Ron was too busy training for the Quidditch Cup to care about his own project and his nonchalance had already started to irritate Hermione.

Alaw knew she couldn't leave it forever so one stormy evening she made her way to the library, text book under arm, to hunt down her reluctant partner. He wasn't sitting with the Slytherins in their usual corner and for a while Alaw was worried he wasn't in the library at all. But she eventually came across him tucked away among the Arithmancy books, a seldom traversed section that was perfect for quiet work. His blonde head was bent over a piece of parchment and his quill was poised musingly over it. As Alaw stepped quietly over to him, she saw that it was covered in equations and scribbled out notes. Draco was so absorbed that he didn't look up until Alaw dropped into the seat opposite him and put her books on the table.

"Oh, it's you," he sneered. "What do you want?"

"I thought we could start on that Potions project," Alaw said, taking out all her writing equipment to show she was there to stay. Draco gave her a sour look and tapped the tip of his quill on the table irritably.

"I am perfectly capable of doing the project on my own. You'll only get in my way," he told her snootily.

"We're supposed to do the project together," Alaw insisted. "I won't get in your way, I want to do well too."

"I have a system!" Draco snapped. "I don't need some mudblood messing things up in my O.W.L year."

They glared at each other. Alaw had told herself before she sat down that she would not do two things; leave, or lose her temper. She was dangerously close to failing on the second already.

"Snape is going to know if I don't help," she said with forced calm. "Do you want to give him an excuse to fail us both?"

Draco ran a hand through his sleek hair and growled in the back of his throat.

"I can't believe this," he snarled. "It's such a waste of time! Fine, if you must stay, stay. But don't you dare mess this up Jones. And don't touch my things!"

And so they began work. It was a slow, painful process. All Alaw wanted to do that evening was decide on a schedule for the rest of the term and draw up an ingredient list, but they simply couldn't agree on anything. They would be brewing Veritaserumand Alaw had found a very good book published only the previous year that had a newer, easier method than the ancient text Draco had. But Draco refused to use the newer book because it had been written by a muggle-born who couldn't possibly know what he was talking about.

"Why do you have it in your head that all muggle-borns are idiots?" Alaw snapped. "You have met Hermione right?"

Draoc did what he always did when he had no answer, he ignored her. Being ignored was, if possible, more annoying than being insulted and Alaw was sorely tempted to hit Draco over the head with her book to make him pay attention to her. To took her hands off the table to avoid giving in to this tempting idea.

"You haven't even read the book, so how do you know it's rubbish?" she persisted, determined that he would give her a satisfactory answer.

" _This_ is the recommended text, _this_ is what I've always used, _this_ is what we'll be using. If you don't like it Jones, fuck off!" Draco hissed.

"Stop using my surname," Alaw retorted. "It's creepy, we're the same age for Christ's sake."

"Would you rather I call you mudblood?"

"I'd rather you call me Alaw. That's my name, after all."

She expected him to scowl but instead he raised an amused eyebrow. Alaw wasn't stupid, she knew this ridiculous fight was just meant to annoy her so he could have a good laugh and she took a breath to calm herself down. It's a sort of battle, she told herself, don't let him play with you.

"Fine, we will leave the new book for now but I swear to god if you don't at least look at it at some point, I will be forced to beat you to death with it," Alaw gritted out. Draco snorted and Alaw couldn't help but smile in spite of herself.

They sniped back and forth at each other for a good half an hour before Draco finally snapped.

"Look," he growled, putting his hands together over his face and closing his eyes as though praying for patience. "I am losing the will to live here. Can we _please_ just get on with our work?! Stop messing around!"

"You stop messing around!" Alaw retorted. "See this?" she pointed to a few tallies on the corner of her paper. "That's how many times you've called me 'mudblood' since I've sat down. Couldn't you just give it a rest?"

Draco looked at the tallies for a moment then sighed.

"Fine, we're never going to make it through if we carry on like this. How about, whilst we're working on this project, we call a truce? I promise I won't even say the word mudblood if you stop being such a massive pain in my arse!"

Alaw considered this and squinted suspiciously at Draco.

"No mention of my family at all," she said after a pause. "Or my friends – or – or anything that isn't too do with the project, deal?"

"Deal, and the same applies to you. No family, no friends, just potions."

They got on a little better after that. The conversation was at least devoid of racial slurs. Once they had agreed to meet twice a week, once in the library and once in the dungeons, they started on the ingredients list. They spoke in low voices, drawing ideas from various text books to make the most complete list. Snape had told them they had to source the ingredients themselves, preferably picking and collecting themselves, however they had been given a small amount of gold to purchase those ingredients that were impossible to find at Hogwarts. After some discussion Draco and Alaw agreed to go into Hogsmead at some point to make those purchases.

It was just as they were talking about finishing for the evening that Alaw broached the subject of literature again.

"How are you finding War and Peace?" she asked and Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's not do with work," he said coldly.

"No, but I think we can bring books under the protection of the truce, don't you?"

Draco shrugged and tugged the volume in question out of his bag.

"I just can't get into it," he said, with a touch of frustration in his voice. "I normally devour books but this is just so dull! I don't care about any of the characters. I knew muggles couldn't write."

"Don't judge all muggle literature on that," Alaw warned. "It's all about genre. What do you normally read? You didn't get a chance to tell me the other day before Snape stuck his nose in."

"Oh, well," Draco suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "I – well there are the wizarding classics like Amelia Abbot of course, everyone reads them, but I never liked them much. I always preferred adventure novels, epic quests, monsters, that sort of thing. Childish, I know."

"Not childish," said Alaw whose mind was racing. "Very interesting actually. I've never read any wizarding classics, oh wait, I skimmed through Beedle the Bard once."

"That's not a classic," Draco scoffed. "That's a children's book! I mean the real classics, Grange House, The Oak and the Holly, those classics! God woman you need to educate yourself."

But Alaw merely smiled musingly at Draco and collected up her things.

"See you in class," she said once she had swung her bag over her shoulder. "Careful, I'm about to step out of the truce zone."

"See you, mudblood," said Draco snidely.

oOoOo

Later that evening Draco was sitting with Blaise and Theodore by the fire the Slytherin common room when Pansy amused everyone by biting into a custard cream and bursting into vivid yellow feathers. Whilst the whole common room shrieked and hooted with laughter, and Pansy screamed that whoever had jinxed the food was a dead man, Draco heard a thump close by. He looked around, confused, and saw a book had just appeared on the end table next to him. It was a shabby, paperback thing with a picture of a mountain on the front. The title, _the Lord of the Rings_ , was almost obscured by a pink note.

 _Put War and Peace away, it'll bore you to tears. This is the grandfather of muggle fantasy._

Draco looked up surreptitiously and smiled to himself as he saw the common room wall slide quietly shut.

OoOoO

As October wore on, the students noticed that the castle was undergoing a transformation. Everything, from the highest ceiling to the tiniest keyhole was being fanatically cleaned. A couple of Ravenclaws had nearly broken their necks tripping over Filch who had been scrubbing the steps up to their tower room. It was common knowledge that a suite of rooms up on the fourth floor which had fantastic views of the lake and the mountains were being refurbished and it became a sort of daily routine for the students to walk past the end of the corridor hoping to catch a glimpse of the preparations. There was a tense, excited atmosphere in the castle as everyone began to gear up for the arrival of the foreign teams.

Hermione had of course read up on the Platonic League and enjoyed rattling off trivia at meal times for the benefit of her fellow Gryffindors. Alaw was treated to an in-depth biography of the headmaster of Ilvermorny, who was apparently related in some way to an American hero. The teachers were becoming visibly nervous at the impending infestation and were particularly sharp with any students they deemed 'too silly'. Fred and George Weasley had been hauled into Professor McGonagall's office for forty minutes one Friday evening after they hurled a Fanged Frisbee down the marble staircase, a rather innocent prank by their standards. Ron told the girls that his brothers were on very thin ice and that McGonagall had threatened them with expulsion if they embarrassed Hogwarts on Halloween night.

With things so hectic in the castle of late, both Alaw and Draco found their hours in the library to be surprisingly relaxing. With their truce in place they managed to get through their work fairly quickly and Draco even grudgingly admitted that the newer textbook Alaw had suggested had some merits.

"I suppose the man can't help that he's a mongrel," Draco had commented, coming dangerously close to breaking the pact. That happened quite a lot. Sometimes Alaw couldn't help herself from making some sarcastic comment about Purebloods and Draco would often let a 'mudblood' slip. In hindsight, it wasn't that relaxing after all.

He had at least returned the Lord of the Rings to Alaw having thoroughly enjoyed it.

"Complete nonsense of course, but the story was compelling," he had said, pushing it back across the table at her. "But he got elves completely wrong."

"It gets better," said Alaw, not entirely sure what it was about elves that Tolkein had got wrong. She pulled another book out her bag. "The Lord of the Rings was really the first fantasy novel of its kind, but it would never get published today. Tolkein was big on unnecessary filler shall we say. Now this is a modern one, one of my favourites when I was a kid."

Draco took the book from her somewhat dubiously and flipped it over to look at the blurb.

" _Northern Lights_ ," he muttered. "Well if you're sure. I have something for you too, if you ever hope to become a proper witch you need to know about our culture too."

He took a handsome leather bound book out of his bag and gave it to Alaw. The title, _Grange House_ , was embossed on the cover.

"I thought you said you didn't like this," said Alaw and Draco rolled his eyes.

"I can't stand it, it's such a girl's book. But it's a classic and all good wizarding boys and girls should read it. Amelia Abbot was a titan of wizarding literature in her day."

And so once they had finished their potions work, the two found themselves spending longer and longer in the library discussing their favourite books. Each meeting the two exchanged another volume and Alaw found herself becoming quite knowledgeable about wizarding literature. It was telling how the same stories kept popping up over and over again, whether they were muggle or magical. The witty heroin was forced to marry the crusty old lord to save her family's manor, until the dashing young lord from the next valley over turned up to sweep her off her feet. The daring explorer discovering a new island infested with dangerous creatures, poisonous plants and mysterious ruins. The gallant knight had to slay a dragon to save a struggling village from total destruction.

When Alaw mentioned this similarity between muggles and wizards, Draco had scoffed and protested. She tried to convince him that they really weren't that different but he was having none of it.

"But you've never even been in the muggle world!" Alaw said in frustration. "How can you say we're savages when you've never been away from wizards?!"

"Well how can you say all Purebloods are evil when you've only been in the wizarding world for a year?" Draco countered. Alaw sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

"Do you notice," she began, "That when one of us doesn't have a proper answer for the other's question, we just ask another one in turn?"

Draco couldn't help but laugh.

But they could not truly be friends, despite their mutual interests. It baffled Hermione how Alaw could quite happily work with a person who said some vicious things to her whenever they weren't in the library, and hung out with the biggest bunch of bigots this side of Azkaban.

"He's vile!" Hermione said during a Care of Magical Creatures class at the end of October. "He's truly a despicable human being, I don't know how you can stand him!"

Alaw looked musingly over at Draco who was sitting with his friends on the fence a few feet away. They were doing their best to wind up Ron, Dean and Seamus and it seemed to be working.

"So what was it you're riding again Weasley? A Cleansweep? Well I suppose I'll at least make some gold this year, I'll just place a massive bet on whoever Hogwarts is playing first."

"He really needs to come up with some new material," Hermione snorted and flipped through her textbook irritably. Alaw smiled slyly.

"I'll tell him you think so tonight, we're going to work in the potions lab."

Alaw knew she would never change Draco's attitude towards Ron, they had been enemies since they were children after all, but she still had hope for salvaging his decency where muggle-borns were concerned. He still called her all sorts of things outside the library and in view of his friends, but it had become a sort of running joke, a game really, to see who could insult the other the best.

"If he wasn't as much of a nerd as I was, I don't think we could work together," Alaw conceded after a moment's thought. "But it's hard to argue with someone who loves Tolkein, their hearts must be pure!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head to show that she was not amused. The argument between the Slytherin and Gryffindor boys was becoming quite heated so it was lucky that Hagrid appeared around the edge of his hut at that moment. He looked oddly lumpy but then Alaw saw that he had a number of small, monkey-like creatures perched on his shoulders and hanging off his mole-skin overcoat.

"Gather round now," he said and the class edged forward cautiously. "Today we're looking at Clabberts."

The animals, which were no larger than kittens, looked like frogs with elongated arms and legs, and a long green tail. They had wide grinning mouths and a red pustule in the middle of their forehead. Some of the pustules were glowing. When Alaw was close enough one of the Clabberts leapt gracefully from Hagrid's shoulder to land on hers where it clung, peering interestedly up at her.

"Don't worry, they're quite gentle really, but watch out for their teeth now. Nasty bite they can give ye. They came firstly from the states, Texas, Arizona, that neck o' the woods. But now there are troops all over the world."

Hagrid's lessons weren't perhaps as polished as other teachers but he was well liked by most of his class and even some of the Slytherins had been forced to admit he knew a thing or two about magical creatures. Alaw suspected this was the sort of class people would do badly in an exam for, despite having learnt a lot of useful information.

An hour or so later they heard the bell ring distantly across the grounds and Hagrid gathered all the Clabberts up once again. They really were quite cute once one got over their odd appearance. As they gathered up their things Draco walked past Alaw and deliberately clipped her with his shoulder.

"Careful where you're going mudblood," he sneered and Alaw scowled at him. Damn, she'd wanted to knock into him! Rubbing her shoulder she replied with her now customary answer.

"I'm always careful, inbred."

They shared a smirk and then Draco went off with his friends towards the castle. Ron nudged Alaw.

"Shall I curse him Al? I can still get him from here."

He raised his wand and aimed it carefully at Draco's retreating back. Alaw grabbed his arm and lowered it.

"Forget it Ron, he was only joking, I told you it's a game we play. He's really not that bad when we're working together. Whatever he was like when you were kids, I think he's starting to grow out of it."

Ron and Neville gave identical disbelieving snorts whilst Hermione gave a squeal and pointed at something on Ron's back.

"Ron! Look!" she gasped. Ron spun around and they saw, clinging to his bag with a bewildered expression, a tiny, baby Clabbert. Chuckling, Alaw plucked the frightened creature off the bag-strap.

"I've got Quidditch now," Ron said worriedly. "I'm going to be late!"

"You lot go on, I'll take her back," said Alaw and she turned back towards Hagrid's cabin. Hagrid was nowhere to be seen so she rapped smartly on the front door whilst keeping a careful hold on the Clabbert with her other hand. She heart a lot of banging pots inside the cabin and after a pause, the door was eased open and she saw a sliver of Hagrid's face.

"Oh, it's you Al," he said, opening the door a mite wider. Alaw held up the Clabbert with a grin.

"Look who tried to hitch a lift."

Chuckling, Hagrid took the baby off her and retreated into the cabin. Alaw pushed the door open a little wider so she could follow him in and was greeted with a wall of heat.

"Bloody hell, it's like a furnace in here!" she gasped, fanning herself and looking towards the roaring fire. Then she gasped even louder. "Hagrid! Where did you get that?!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note – Happy New Year Potterheads. I've been familiarising myself with Tumblr this week, in between writing this chapter. I realised I had too many ideas about the Platonic League to fit into the story itself so I started adding them to my blog instead. Yesterday I did Uagadou, trying to fix some of the damage JK did when she posted about it on Pottermore. If you're interested, feel free to head over there and check it out.**

 **Chapter 9**

 **The Platonic League**

"He's got a what?!" Ron cried. It was dinner time and the Great Hall was crowded and noisy. Alaw would have waited until they were back in her room to have this discussion but she had a project meeting with Draco later. Alaw spooned lamb stew into her bowl and glared down at it.

"Yep, he's got a dragon's egg," she repeated. "It was just sitting there in his fireplace."

"But where did he get it?!" Hermione asked, glancing around to make sure Dean and Seamus weren't listening in. "They're a Class A Non-Tradable Material!"

"Do you remember back at the start of term, when we saw him talking to that shady Mundungus bloke? That's what he was doing, buying this damn egg."

Ron, Neville and Hermione looked aghast at the news. Alaw had had some time to get over the initial shock and allow it to chrystalise into anger. Neville was the one to voice the obvious question.

"But – what if it hatches?" he hissed.

"That's the point! He's trying to hatch it!" Alaw said, waving her spoon in agitation. "I told him he was mental but he just kept going on about how much he'd always wanted a dragon."

Hermione ran her hands over her wild mane of hair and sighed.

"Well, we'll just have to go down there later and make him see reason," she said determinedly.

"You'll have to go without me, I've got that meeting with Draco after dinner. In fact," Alaw checked her watch. "If I don't get a move on I'm going to be late."

She made herself eat a few spoonfuls of her dinner even though she had very little appetite before swinging herself off the bench and heading for the dungeons. _Stupid idiot, he's going to get himself sacked and then he's going to drag us into it cos we know about it now_ , Alaw thought angrily as she stomped down the stone steps. She passed by the potions classroom and made her way further down the corridor. The rest of the students had to ask Snape permission every time they wanted to use the lab, but the Slytherins had their own space not far from their common room. Alaw kept a sharp eye just in case there was anyone from Theodore's gang waiting to ambush her as they had already tried a few weeks before. But she saw no one except Draco who was waiting over by their cauldron when she entered the room.

"There you are, where have you been?" he asked.

Alaw mumbled something evasive like ' _had stuff to do_ ' and dumped her bag unceremoniously on the nearest empty table. Draco watched her unpack her kit in a puzzled sort of way. He didn't say anything for several minutes but let her crush a few dragonflies into a fine powder, a little more forcefully than was strictly necessary. Finally he said,

"My keen intuition of the female creature informs me that you are troubled."

"I'm fine," Alaw said sharply, now stabbing holes in a dried puffapod. Draco snorted.

"You're a terrible liar Jones."

"I'll have you know I'm an excellent liar."

"Well then I must be getting very good at reading you. Come on, what wrong?"

Alaw sighed and put down her knife, drumming her fingers on the table.

"I can't tell you," she said. "But if someone you knew had done something illegal, what would you do?"

Draco was clearly intrigued because he too put down his equipment and turned to lean his back on the workbench, crossing his arms.

"This is a purely hypothetical situation I take it?" he asked and Alaw smirked.

"Of course," she said innocently.

"Well if I were to find myself in a pickle like that, I would do my best to hide the evidence. But I suppose you want to snitch on whoever it is."

"What do you take me for, a Ravenclaw?" asked Alaw indignantly. "I _am_ a Slytherin you know."

They went back to work after that. Alaw was glad Draco hadn't pressed her for further details but she was preoccupied for the rest of the meeting. Their Veritaserum was going quite well, and there wasn't much else to do. They still needed to go into Hogsmead and buy the more elusive ingredients but once they were added, then they could leave the potion to stew for a full lunar cycle and they would pretty much be done.

When Alaw returned to her rooms later that evening she found Hermione, Ron and Neville sitting around her fire.

"Hello people who do not live here," she said as she closed the door.

"Hey," Ron yawned, stretching luxuriously. He was sitting in Alaw's favourite armchair so she prodded him out of it so she take his place.

"So how did things go with Hagrid?" she asked and Neville gave a great sigh, leaning his head back in his chair and closing his eyes in a weary sort of way.

"No go I'm afraid," he said. "He won't budge! We told him he couldn't keep a dragon secret for long, but he insisted he could look after it properly."

"Did you tell him he's definitely going to be sacked when the teachers find out?"

"About five times," said Hermione. She was staring into the fire with her head in one hand. "What are we going to do?! The other schools arrive in less than a week, the place will be crawling with Ministry people and press and who knows who else! He's bound to be found out."

All four of them lapsed into worried silence. Alaw was just wondering how long it took a dragon egg to hatch when Ron suddenly jerked upright, his eyes wide.

"What?" Neville asked.

"I've had an idea…" he said slowly. "It would be perfect if we could get Hagrid to agree. Bill and Charlie said they were coming to see the opening match on Saturday, we could give the egg to Charlie and he can take it back to Romania with him!"

"Ron, that's brilliant! Why didn't you say your brothers were coming?" Alaw demanded and Ron shrugged.

"I only got the letter this morning. Ok, so I'll write back to Charlie to warn him and if Hagrid doesn't agree then we're just going to have to nick the egg off him this weekend."

Hermione sighed.

"Hagrid is not going to like this at all."

Hagrid didn't. Whilst Ron went to Quidditch practice after breakfast the next day, the other three trekked down to Hagrid's once again. It was still like a sauna inside the cabin but they were two polite to decline the tea Hagrid offered them. As he pottered around fixing their drinks he listened as they outlined their plan.

"I wish you lot would stop worrying," he grumbled, putting their mugs on the table in front of them. "I told you, I can look after a dragon no problem. Look, I got these out of the library, they're a bit outdated o'course but they'll do."

He showed them a book called _Dragon Breeding for Profit and Pleasure_ then opened it to a page showing colourful illustrations of eggs.

"What we have 'ere," he said, jerking his head towards the egg in the fire, "Is a Common Welsh Green, see? You've got something in common already Al."

Alaw looked despairingly at the egg. It was about the size of a rugby ball and was earthy brown, speckled with green. She knew that Welsh Greens were shy of humans and less dangerous that other breeds, but in the same way that a wolf was less dangerous than a tiger.

"Hagrid," Alaw began firmly. "You're being ridiculous. Dragons are wild animals, they can't be tamed and they certainly can't be domesticated. I know you mean well but it's just cruel to keep a beast like that locked away. It needs to be with its own kind."

But they simply couldn't change Hagrid's mind. They decided to give up and hope that Charlie was more persuasive than they were. He had written back to Ron that morning to tell him he'd be delighted to take the egg off their hands. The illegal trade in eggs, Charlie had written, was very damaging to dragon populations as the smugglers often harmed the eggs and hatchlings and many breeds had been on the endangered species list for years because of this. This had only made Alaw angrier at Hagrid for participating in the toxic business.

Whilst they were busy worrying about the miniature inferno potentially about the hatch in Hagrid's wooden cabin, the rest of the school was very excited for the imminent arrival of the foreign teams. On the morning of Halloween Alaw entered the Great Hall to find a hundred carved pumpkins floating above the four house tables. Clouds of bats were swooping back and forth and Alaw was not at all surprised to find that Hermione and Lavender were not present at the Gryffindor table.

"I don't understand her problem with bats to be honest," said Ron who had Scabbers with him at the table. Alaw wrinkled her nose at the rat which was nibbling on a squirming pixie puff.

"Ron, really? People are eating," she said exasperatedly. Ron stuffed Scabbers into the pocket of his robes.

The students had been instructed to gather on the front lawn that evening at six o clock to welcome their guests. Ron in particular was showing his nerves and he kept checking his reflection in the polished breastplates of the suits of armour, flattening his hair and tidying his robes. This was a pointless ritual for he was whisked away at five to be spruced up and to change into his Quidditch robes. A flock of Daily Prophet reporters had arrived that afternoon and they were busy setting up their equipment in the grounds and snapping early photos of all the important dignitaries who were visiting for the opening match. Even Bill and Charlie warranted a quick snap when they came strolling into the Entrance Hall.

"Bill! Finally you guys are here, Ron's going spare!" cried Alaw when she spotted them. She, Hermione and Neville hurried over to the brothers and Alaw blushed when Bill gave a quick one armed hug.

"Hey gang, where _is_ Ron?" he asked, peering around at the crowd of black robed students. Professor McGonagall nearly clipped Charlie as she marched past him looking harassed. All the teachers were trying their best to maintain some semblance of order. Hermione pointed over at the grand staircase.

"He's over there with the rest of the team, I think that reporter is just explaining the procedure to them."

Ron was standing next to George and Daphne looking quite sick. Someone had given him such a thorough brush down that his hair was plastered to his head. George had been similarly violated and the reporter kept tutting over their robes, adjusting them every few seconds. Charlie lent in to whisper,

"So, I assume Hagrid is back in the cabin with the egg?"

"Yeah, but he still isn't happy about handing it over, you may have to sweet talk him a bit," Hermione confirmed.

Before they could get into that discussion, the teachers were calling for quiet. Dumbledore had appeared and he addressed the students.

"Can all the students follow their heads of house out onto the front lawn, and can the ladies and gentlemen of the press follow me, an area has been set up for your use."

Alaw said a quick goodbye to the others and hurried over to the Slytherin line. Flora and Tracy were in the thick of the crowd so Alaw attached herself to Draco on the edge. At least he seemed to have been separated from his friends.

"Evening Jones, I was wondering if you were going to miss the arrival," said Draco once they had been arranged into a row outside.

"Evening _Draco,_ " Alaw put a heavy stress on his first name. "I was just sorting some stuff out."

"Ah, for your hypothetical pickle. You picked a fine night for it."

It was a fine night as it happened. The organisers had been very lucky with the weather for there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the moon shone bright and full. The students, press and visitors stood there for several quiet minutes before people began to get restless.

"How do you think they're coming?" Alaw muttered, staring, like most people, towards the end of the drive and the gate topped with winged boars. Draco however was looking all around, even at the sky occasionally.

"In a flashy way no doubt," he said knowledgably. "Wizards like to show off when we get together. Ah! See? What did I tell you?"

He pointed towards the heavens just as a great cry went up from the rest of the people who had noticed. Several dark objects were hurtling towards the castle out of the night sky. Alaw squinted up and saw flapping wings. Before long, great golden carriages, pulled by giant winged horses, were pulling smoothly up the drive. Alaw counted them as they touched down and admired the handsome crests on the doors.

"Nine," she said to Draco whilst the rest of the crowd clapped and cheered. "Someone's missing."

The door of the first carriage, which was decorated with two crossed wands shooting stars from their tips, opened. A young man in sky blue robes hopped down and unfolded a delicate golden step before springing back and standing smartly to help the first person out of the carriage. The woman who emerged was dressed from head to toe in black silk which glittered with jewels. She was also the largest woman Alaw had ever seen in her life.

"Fuck me!" she exclaimed as the woman reached the ground and strode between the rows of students towards Professor Dumbledore, whose arms were wide in greeting. Draco groaned beside her.

"A great, another half-giant. The press will have a field day with this."

"Half-giant, do you think so?" Alaw asked in surprise. About a dozen young people were following their headmistress and waving to the crowd of Hogwarts students. Presumable only some of them were on the team, the rest must have been hangers on. The girl at the head of group was a delicate beauty, with silvery blond hair to her waist and a graceful gate.

"She's gorgeous," said Alaw appreciatively and it was Draco's turn to look surprised.

"She your type Jones?" he asked slyly and Alaw shrugged.

"If I were so inclined I imagine she would be. But I'm not, so my admiration is purely objective."

That made Draco chuckle to himself. When the tall headmistress reached the steps up to the school she swooped down and exchanged kisses on both cheeks with Dumbledore who spoke warmly to her in a way that indicated they were previously acquainted. Ron and the rest of the Hogwarts team were standing in a line behind Dumbledore and as the Beauxbatons students entered the castle they shook hands with their British counterparts. Alaw had been so focused on watching this that she didn't notice the rest of the new comers until a small explosion made her jump out of her skin. A new team were passing by, this time clad in blue and cherry robes and holding their wands aloft. Blue, Red and White sparks were flying from the tips so that they looking like they were holding muggle sparklers. Beside her, Draco snorted.

"Americans," he said, shaking his head and Alaw laughed.

Next came a team entirely comprised of girls. Their robes were midnight blue and covered in silver Arithmancy symbols. Most of them were wearing headscarves in the same style and Alaw nudged Draco.

"House of Wisdom, right?"

"I think so, I recognise the crest on their carriage."

Watching the parade of new comers was very exciting as the guests all wanted to put on a show. Alaw found herself clutching Draco's arm in alarm and wonder as a group of young people in purple and gold robes walked past with an elephant in their midst. As she watched, her eyes round as plates, a tall, regal girl at the front transformed herself gracefully into a bird with beautifully vivid colours.

"Haven't you ever seen animagi before?" asked Draco, trying to pry her fingers off his arm but failing as Alaw was too awed to notice.

When all the foreign teams had entered the castle, a lot of the Hogwarts students started jostling around ready to follow them. However, the teachers barked orders and chivvied people back into line. They were apparently still one team short. Alaw peered up at the sky like many of her fellows, now starting to shiver in the cold.

"Who are we waiting for?" she asked and Draco frowned.

"Durmstrang I think, I didn't see their crest."

The group of teachers up on the steps had thinned out, presumably because some had gone to entertain the guests who had already arrived. For several minutes they stood waiting until Alaw heard a strange noise in the distance. She looked around at Draco who had evidently heard it too. Then people starting pointing in excitement towards the lake.

"What the hell is that?!" Blaise Zabini cried on Alaw's other side. A whirlpool had appeared in the middle of the lake and the curious noise was coming from it, an eerie sucking noise. Then something tall and dark rose from the whirlpool, soon to be followed by a ghostly ship.

"Quite an entrance," Alaw muttered the ship started to sail smoothly towards the bank.

"Karkaroff," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "He loves to be fashionably late."

There were people coming ashore now, people with hulking silhouettes that were revealed to be thick fur cloaks. At their head was a tall man in sleek silver furs whom Alaw presumed was the Karkaroff of whom Draco had spoken. He and Dumbledore shook hands politely enough but there was something stiff about their exchange. Alaw was too far away to hear them properly but she fancied that something was off.

"Merlin's beard!" Draco gasped and she looked around.

"What?"

It was Draco's turn to clutch her arm and he pointed frantically at the young man standing behind Karkaroff.

"Krum! That's Victor Krum!"

"Who?"

Draco wasn't the only one wetting himself with excitement. Almost all the Hogwarts students were whispered excitedly and standing on tip toe to get a better look. The Daily Prophet reporters had gone wild and they were shouting at the boy, demanding he look their way and answer their questions. The cameras were clicking wildly and wafting thick purple smoke over the crowd.

"What's the matter with everyone?" Alaw asked crossly as the boy was guided into the castle by his headmaster. He was polite enough to pause and shake hands with the Hogwarts team and Alaw saw that Ron looked dumbfounded.

"Victor Krum! The famous Quidditch player?" Draco said impatiently. "I had no idea he was still at school! But that's not on, he was in the World Cup! He can't play in the Juniors too, that's not fair!"

Alaw quite agreed and she now remembered Ron's excitement back at the Burrow when Ireland won the tournament. He had been raving about someone called Krum too. At last they were allowed back inside the castle and there was much jostling and shoving as people tried to get a better look at their famous guest. Alaw hung back to avoid being crushed and so did Draco. Soon they were at the back of the crowd trying to get into the Great Hall. Through the sea of pointed hats, Alaw saw that the new comers were seated at the four house tables and that the Gryffindors were to entertain the green clad team from Castelobruxo, and the midnight blue students from the House of Wisdom. However, before she could go and introduce herself, or even before she had her foot over the threshold, Charlie, Hermione and Neville came running up to her.

"Al, we've got a situation with the you-know-what," Neville hissed, glancing dubiously at Draco. Alaw's eyes went wide.

"Oh shit, are you serious?!" she cried. "Fucking hell, ok, we'd best get down there."

"Where are you going?" asked Draco suspiciously.

"Never you mind, look Krum is sitting with the Slytherins," Alaw said, pointing into the hall. As Draco automatically glanced around Alaw and the others ran in the opposite direction and out into the grounds again. Draco stood there, torn between the draw of Victor Krum, and the urgency with which Alaw had scarpered. After a moment's pause, he followed her.

OoOoO

Hagrid had placed the egg in a large ceramic bowl on the kitchen table. It was rattling so much it would otherwise have rolled straight onto the floor.

"It started 'bout quarter of an hour ago," said Hagrid in excitement.

"Then it won't be long now," Charlie confirmed as he drew up a chair and watched the egg carefully. Alaw, Neville and Hermione all sat down too, holding their breath. A large crack had appeared on the side of the shell closest to Alaw and suddenly a small claw thrust out, causing them all to jump. Alaw unconsciously leant forward until she was at eye-level with the breech in the shell. The claw withdrew into the egg and a slanted, yellow eye appeared in its place. Alaw and the dragon stared at each other for a long second, neither moving. Alaw felt something very odd resonate through her body, a sort of warm tingling sensation.

"Al! You're eyes!" Neville cried in alarm and Alaw looking up, confused.

"What's the matter with them?" she asked.

"They're glowing!"

Alaw raised a hand to her left eye and felt a sudden, powerful light-headedness wash over her. With a groan she pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes and then the whole world lurched. There was thud as she hit the floor and everything faded to black.

OoOoO

When Alaw next opened her eyes she had a splitting headache and a weight on her chest. Hermione was kneeling beside her and Neville, Charlie and Hagrid were all standing, looking concerned.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Alaw grunted, propping herself up on her elbows and coming face to face with the creature squatting on her chest.

The dragon was dark green and about the size of a cat. Its tail was nearly as long as it's body and it was twitching back and forth, again very much like a cat might do in distress.

"Hello you, did you do this?" Alaw asked it and the dragon blinked its lizard eyes.

' _I'm hungry_ ,' said the dragon.

Alaw nearly had a heart attack. She jerked upright, dislodging the dragon which squeaked in complaint and flopped into her lap instead.

"You can speak!" she cried. "How can you speak?!"

' _I'm hungry!_ ' the dragon said again indignantly. ' _Why did you push me away?_ '

Alaw looked around at the others in utter astonishment. They were staring at her in equal amazement.

"Are you all hearing this?!" she asked and Hermione, who'd had her hands over her mouth, lowered them to say in a hushed voice,

"Alaw, you're a Parselmouth! Why didn't you tell us?!"

They were all looking at her as though she had done something terrible, something obscene. Alaw frowned and tried to get to her feet but the dragon squeaked in distress and dug its tiny claws into the front of her robes.

' _Don't go! I'm cold!_ '

"I'm a what? Look, can anyone else hear this dragon speaking?!" Alaw asked as she bundled the creature up in her cloak and lifted it in her arms. Neville helped her get up and sit back in her chair, all the while staring at her.

"Alaw, of course we can't hear it, it's just squeaking to us. But you're speaking Parseltongue to it, can't you hear yourself? You're hissing!"

Alaw frowned and became somewhat distracted when the dragon craned its neck and started licking her face, mewling for attention.

"I'm – shush! – I'm not hissing, I'm speaking English! And what the hell is Parselmouth?"

"Al, this is serious, Parselmouth is snake language. It's a very rare skill and it's a very dark one at that! Didn't you know you could speak to snakes?"

Alaw let this information sink in and then looked down at the dragon in her arms, shaking her head. Charlie, who had until now hung back with the shocked looking Hagrid, stepped forward.

"If I may?" he said, indicating the hatchling and Alaw held it out to him. But the moment he tried to take the dragon it started yowling and squirming.

' _No! Don't leave me! I'm hungry! I'm scared!_ ' the dragon whimpered and Alaw had a hard time keeping a hold of it.

"Stay still! Charlie's a friend!" she snapped angrily. "He's not going to hurt you!"

Very reluctantly, the dragon stilled and allowed Charlie to hold him, but only stayed calm if Alaw kept a hand on its back. Charlie examined the hatchling closely.

"He's a male, a little bit on the runty side truth be told," Charlie tutted as he peered closely at the dragon's front talons.

"Why is he so keen on me?" asked Alaw.

"Unfortunately I think he might have imprinted on you," Charlie sighed. "Sorry, I should have thought of it earlier it was stupid of me not to. I should have made sure it didn't happen."

"Imprint?" Hermione piped up. "Like that thing ducklings do? But why did Alaw collapse like that?"

"I don't know, the glowing eyes suggests some sort of magical reaction but that's impossible, and so is the Parseltongue for that matter. Even normal Parselmouths, if there is such a thing, have a hard job communicating with dragons. There hasn't been a Dragon Speaker in centuries. Not since the Druids died out anyway."

Alaw, Hermione and Neville all exchanged significant looks. The dragon, becoming impatient with Charlie, began to squirm again and Alaw took him back.

"Druids?" she said carefully. "They could speak to dragons?"

"Rumour has it they could train them, ride them even. But like I said they're long gone."

' _I'm HUNGRY!_ ' the dragon cried, butting its scaly head against Alaw's chest.

"Hagrid, have you got anything to feed him? He won't shut up," Alaw said desperately. Hagrid, who had been frozen up until this point, sprang towards the fire.

"Yeah yeah o' course, the book says ter feed 'em hot milk mixed with chicken blood and whisky for the first few weeks. Here."

He handed her a glass bottle of the vile mixture, wrapped in a tea towel and Alaw proffered it to the dragon. After a few failed attempts he latched on and happily gulped away whilst they discussed the situation.

"Charlie, you ought to know, I'm descended from Druids. We found out last year that that's where my magical genes come from and Professor Dumbledore confirmed it."

Charlie blinked in surprise but then shook it off and started pacing the small cabin.

"Right, ok this is starting to make sense. Druids were known to be Parselmouths, they're famous for it. They were responsible for caring for the native dragons way before the Ministry of Magic, or even the Wizards Council was even a thing. This must be how they trained them, by imprinting on a hatchling, bonding with it, raising it."

"I have to raise it?!" said Alaw in horror, glancing down at the slurping, gulping creature in her arms. "You're not serious?!"

"I'm afraid there may be no other way. He's imprinted on you now, he thinks you're his mother. We can try and take him away to the reserve in Snowdonia in a few days but I don't think it'll work. Hatchlings have been known to pine without their mothers, they stop eating and sometimes they just die. It may be that he'll have to stay here with you until he's old enough to be independent."

Alaw shook her head hopelessly but Hagrid put a hand on her shoulder and sat next to her.

"Don't worry Al," he said kindly. "We'll work something out. If this little guy does have ter stay 'ere then we can manage. He can live in me cabin until we find a better arrangement. 'Ere, I was going ter name him but that don't seem right now, seeing as he's your dragon really. What should it be?"

He looked so excited and Charlie looked so serious, that Alaw couldn't see anyway of refusing them. After a moment's thought she sighed and said,

"Puff?"

 **So there we have it, dragons are now in the mix, along with ten foreign schools, Voldemort and Sirius Black. Took me long enough to bring this story together. As well as new information about the schools, I'll probably post about dragons and Druids on my Tumblr in the coming weeks so please, leave a review, or follow me on my blog to learn more.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thankyou reviewers for baring with me. I've been busy world-building between writing this chapter. Particularly in regards to the others schools, there's now way more information on them on my tumblr blog. So far I've done Durmstrang, Uagadou, the House of Wisdom and Mahoutokoro properly, and next I will do my Indian school, Nalanda. Head over there to check it out,**

 **Chapter Ten**

 **Cultural Cousins**

Hogwarts drew Ilvermorny as their first opponent in the Tournament and Alaw, Hermione and Neville agreed that it was not a good idea to tell Ron about the dragon until after the match. The dragon, who after some debate had been christened Emrys, had nearly had a fit when Alaw tried to leave Hagrid's. It had cried and scratched at the door so pathetically that Alaw had had no choice but to stay the night with Charlie whilst Neville and Hermione went back to the castle and made her excuses. Emrys had spent most of the night sleeping, waking occasionally for a feeding.

"Hatchlings spend most of their early days sleeping, it helps them grow," Charlie explained as Emrys curled up in Alaw's lap. He would sleep nowhere else so she had taken up position on the sofa, propped up on many pillows.

"How big do they grow?" Alaw asked nervously as she stroked Emrys from head to tail. He wasn't as scaly as she had expected him to be, he felt more like a snake than a lizard. Charlie blew out his cheeks.

"Lucky for us, Welsh Greens are the smallest dragons. They don't get much bigger than ten feet from snout to tail. They take about a year to reach that length and that's when they can be weaned from their mothers."

"A year?!" Alaw cried. "Charlie, I can't stay in this cabin for a whole year!"

"Don't worry, you won't have to. Like I said they spend the first couple of weeks sleeping anyway whilst their scales grow in. I wouldn't take him outside until the scales on his back turn dark green and harden up. He won't develop the ability to breathe fire for six months or so, so you don't need to worry about that for a while, and he'll teeth in three months. He'll be able to eat solids then and the mothers generally start teaching them to hunt around that time. Small things you know, rats and birds eggs mostly."

"What about flying?"

"Well they start trying around the time they learn to breathe fire, but he won't properly develop the skill until he's fully grown. I don't recommend you try and teach him that yourself, leave that to the dragon keepers at the Snowdonia reserve."

Alaw snorted. She had lived in the shadow of those mountains her whole life, seen them every morning through her bedroom window and played on their slopes with her friends, and yet all that time she never knew that she was within walking distance of a dragon colony. She eventually fell asleep with Emrys snoring softly on her chest until dawn broke and Hagrid fixed her some breakfast. Emrys was nervous of him at first but warmed considerably after Alaw made a display of hugging the half-giant. Charlie told them that dragons formed attachments to family members early on but became more hostile to outsiders the older they grew. He advised Alaw to let Emrys familiarise himself with Hermione, Neville and Ron early on.

They came to the cabin at around noon, after the match had ended. Ron was still in his Quidditch robes, black, with the Hogwarts crest proudly emblazoned on his chest and his name in gold on the back.

"Al, we won!" he crowed the moment he was through the door. Emrys took fright at the noise and disappeared under Hagrid's armchair, hissing. "We smashed Ilvermorny. Ok, I let in a few goals but you should have seen the catch Cho made, and Daphne put five goals past their Keeper. Right, so ten minutes in this big bloke comes right at me –"

"Ron!" Alaw hissed, flapping her hands at him. "Keep your voice down or you'll spook him."

She gestured behind her at the hissing armchair and Ron shut his mouth at once, gazing at it in some trepidation.

"Um, these two explained to me what happened last night," he said, his eyes darting between Alaw and the armchair. "They've told me not to freak out, so, I just want you to know, I'm ok with it. The whole Parselmouth thing, it's fine."

"Oh that is generous of you," said Alaw witheringly and Neville gave a nervous laugh. Ron frowned.

"No no I didn't mean it like that!" he cried. "I just meant, I know you're not a dark wizard Al, you can't help what skills you're born with."

"Wow, Ron, please stop digging," said Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Ron," said Alaw firmly. "You listen to me. Parselmouth isn't evil, it's amazing! I don't know why it has this horrible reputation."

Everyone in the hut looked at her as though she had lost her mind. Hagrid shook his head.

"Al, don't ye know?" he asked. "You-Know-Who was a Parselmouth, an 'e used it fer all sorts of horrible rituals."

Alaw was silent for a moment. She had forgotten about that particular piece of trivia. She had read extensively about Voldemort and the War and compared to his others crimes, the fact that the Dark Lord could speak Parseltongue had paled into insignificance. Alaw tried to rally her arguments.

"Well, so what if he could?" she said, trying not to show how uncomfortable the information made her. "Snakes have been used for healing magic far longer than they have for harmful magic. It was only in the Middle Ages that this hysteria about them came about – probably Salazar Slytherin's fault if you ask me – but there's nothing wrong with it by itself. Look, I'll show you."

She turned towards the armchair and knelt down beside it.

"Emrys," she called softly. "It's ok, it's safe, you can come out now."

Emrys poked his snout out but wouldn't venture any further.

' _Who is that?'_ he asked timorously.

"This is Ron, he's a friend. We're all friends here. Come out from there."

Haltingly, Emrys emerged and Ron gawped at him. Alaw scooped the creature up in her arms and brought him slowly over to Ron who looked just as nervous as Emrys did. Alaw put one arm around Ron and embraced him tightly, as Charlie had instructed, and then let Emrys sniff him experimentally.

"See? All safe," said Alaw when Emrys started licking Ron's face. Ron gave a nervous laugh.

"He's kind of cute I suppose," he conceded. "But I still think you should keep the Parseltongue to yourself for the time being."

"Don't worry, I won't start hissing all over the place, not with all these reporters hanging about."

Once Emrys got used to Ron he started wriggling in Alaw's arms, wanting to be let down. Now that he had slept he was infinatly curious about everything in Hagrid's hut and Alaw had to have eyes in the back of her head to keep an eye on him.

"You won't be able to leave him on his own for a few days," Charlie explained once Alaw had sat down after once again getting up to stop Emrys from destroying some of Hagrid's belongings. "I recommend you pull a sicky for the rest of the week."

Alaw groaned.

"Great, Snape is going love that," she said grumpily.

One had to be literary gasping one's last breath before Snape thought it a worthy excuse to skip class. Alaw was interested in learning more about Parseltongue and wanted to know what it sounded like.

"Just a bunch of hissing to us," Neville shrugged. "Except you sometimes slip in the odd English word."

"Like what?" Alaw asked in surprise.

"Like our names, I guess you can't really translate a name can you? And words like 'table' and 'cup', no equivalent in dragon I suppose."

Intrigued, Alaw called Emrys over to her and he willingly leapt into her lap. She asked him to say his name but the sound that came out sounded like a strangled gargle which made them all laugh. When pressed he couldn't say any of their names either, but rather came up with his own when he wanted to talk about them. Hagrid, whom he had appeared to have taken a shine to, was 'Big Man', Ron was 'Red-Haired Man' and Hermione 'Brown-Haired Girl'. Neville was a like trickier, and it took Alaw a moment to understand what Emrys was trying to say.

"Toad boy?!" she giggled.

And Alaw herself? She was simply, _mother._

Bill and Charlie left them early the next day and Alaw managed to escape the cabin in order to say goodbye when Emrys was fast asleep. She received a hug from both brothers.

"Take care of yourself," said Bill.

"Yes, try not to get your fingers bitten off," Charlie joked. "Good luck with the tournament Ron."

As they set off across the lawn towards the gates of Hogwarts, Alaw left a little wistful and shared a secret smile with Hermione. The rest of the week passed very slowly for Alaw. She had entrusted the story of her 'illness' to Hermione and thankfully none of the teachers complained once Hermione fed them the prearranged story of a muggle illness that had Alaw coughing and hacking in bed all day.

"Professor McGonagall asked why you hadn't been to see Madam Pomphrey, so I had to lie and say you had and there was nothing she could do," Hermione sighed on Thursday evening when she came down to cabin with Alaw's homework. With nothing to do all day, she was making decent headway with it. "Hopefully nobody will actually check with the Hospital Wing. Oh, I brought you those books you asked for."

Hermione tugged the volumes out of her satchel and handed them across the coffee table to Alaw who took them eagerly.

"Cheers," she said, scanning the titles. _A Study of Snake Rituals in Ancient Cyprus_ – _Protective Magic of the Egyptians_ – and _Salazar Slytherin; the Fact behind the Fiction_.

"That last one raised some eyebrows at the check-out desk," said Hermione, looking grumpy that her good standing in the library may have been tarnished. Alaw wasn't paying attention, but was flicking through the said book with a slight frown.

"Don't you think it's odd that we know so little about Slytherin? About all the founders for that matter! I mean, we know loads about other people from that period, but all the facts about the Founders have been twisted and retold until you can't tell what true and what's mythology at this point. We don't even know where Slytherin was born, or where he died."

"The sorting hat says he was from the Fenns," Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's not very specific is it? And besides, _Salazar_ isn't exactly an English name is it? Sounds Spanish to me."

There was a discussion of the etymology of Slytherin's name in the first chapter of the book and Alaw became engrossed.

Alaw had arranged some time ago with Draco that they would go into Hogsmead together that Saturday to buy Potions ingredients, and she really didn't feel like cancelling. So, on Saturday morning, she tried to explain to Emrys.

"I have to go out," she said to him. "But I'll be back in a little bit, I'll be back by the time the sun goes down, ok?"

Emrys was suspicious of the plan at first but didn't freak out when Alaw moved towards the door. Alaw turned to Hagrid.

"Right, so you've got his milk and everything, he'll need feeding at about noon and then again at three," she said anxiously. "And if he rolls on his back he wants to be scratched, and if he bites his tail he's hungry."

"Al, don't worry, it'll be fine," Hagrid chuckled, pushing her gently towards the door. "You go and enjoy yourself now."

Alaw hesitated then forced herself to leave. She was becoming very attached to the little dragon, something to do with the magic no doubt. She hurried up to the castle, praying she wouldn't run into any of the teachers, and managed to reach her room without incident. There she showered quickly and put of her pale green weekend robes. She normally would have put on muggle clothes but Draco had already warned her that he wouldn't be seen walking into the village with her if she did. After donning her thick winter cloak she swept out of her room and down to the Entrance Hall. Draco wasn't there yet so Alaw loitered at the foot of the stairs, wondering if leaving Emrys alone so soon had been such a good idea after all. But he wasn't alone, she reminded herself sternly. Hagrid was there and Emrys adored him, and vice versa. Finally Draco made an appearance, dressed in blue today.

"You're late," she complained and Draco drew himself up importantly.

"A wizard is never late," he said and the corner of Alaw's mouth twitched into a smile. "Nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to."

"Ha, I made you into a nerd," Alaw sniggered. "Come on then let's go."

They walked together out into the grounds and Alaw couldn't help but glance towards the edge of the forest and Hagrid's hut. Draco had a mischievous grin on his face and when Alaw asked him what he had to be so pleased about he shrugged.

"Nothing, you just seem to have recovered from your mystery illness remarkably well."

"Oh, yeah, sorry for leaving you in the lurch with Snape. I promise it's all cleared up now."

Draco just continued to smile smugly at her. Feeling uncomfortable, Alaw changed the subject.

"How are you getting on with Game of Thrones?"

That distracted Draco and he began to gush about the book, lamenting Ned Stark's stupid decisions – ' _I mean, how could he trust Little Finger?!_ ' – and rooting for Varys – ' _He'd definitely be a Slytherin'_. This pleasant talk sustained them to the outskirts of the village where Draco led them over to a small apothecary Alaw had never been to before.

"We're not going to _Slug and Jiggers_?" she asked in confusion as they passed the larger, more popular shop. Draco shook his head and snorted.

"Malfoys don't shop with the riff raff," he said superciliously. "I can get us a better discount with Mr Bobbin. Uncle Sev and he are old friends."

Alaw caught hold of Draco's arm before he could open the shop door, a grin spreading on her face.

" _Uncle Sev_?" she repeated gleefully. Draco opened his mouth, then closed it, looking cross with himself.

"Old habit," he grumbled. "He's my godfather you know."

Before Alaw could mock him further, Draco entered the shop. As the bell over the door tinkled the portly man behind the counter looked up from his ledger and smiled on seeing who it was.

"Young Master Malfoy, good day to you."

"Good Morning Bobbin," said Draco casually as he strolled over to lean on the counter. "May I introduce my friend Alaw Jones."

"How do you do young lady," said Bobbin and Alaw replied politely.

She then watched in silent astonishment as Draco proceeded to give her taste of Malfoy influence. He outlined their project to Bobbin who promptly brought out samples of the ingredients they would need. Alaw was a decent potion brewer but she couldn't tell the difference between good and bad ingredients, but Draco looked over the samples with an apparently trained eye. _Trained by Uncle Sev no doubt_ , Alaw thought with a smirk. Draco eventually pronounced himself satisfied and paid for the ingredients with gold out a handsome dragon skin pouch. It all seemed very expensive to Alaw and she winced as their whole budget was blown on the first pound of unicorn horn, but Draco assured her, once they had left the shop, that they had gotten an excellent discount.

"But we went way over the budget," she fretted. "You'll have to wait until I've written to Gringotts for me to pay you back."

"Pay me back? Nonsense," Draco said looking affronted.

"But we're supposed to do it together!" Alaw tried to argue but Draco was having none of it.

"My father always said, you can't put a price on quality."

"Easy for him to say," Alaw muttered. "Ok, fine, but let me at least buy you lunch."

Draco hesitated and looked towards the Three Broomsticks which was, as usual, very busy. As he watched a group of American students, who looked remarkably cheery considering they had been beaten in the Quidditch only a week earlier, entered the pub. Alaw knew what Draco was thinking, he was worrying they would be spotted by a hawk eyed member of Theodore's gang, or some gossiping Gryffindors who were sure to carry the story far and wide.

"We don't have to eat in there," Alaw said lightly. "Come on, we'll go to Nook, fewer people go in there."

She guided him further up the high street until they were outside the cosy little café. It was a favourite haunt of the teachers and so they were less likely to be bothered by students in there. Draco was still reluctant but Alaw grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside. Her guess had been right, the only students in there were a couple of girls from the House of Wisdom who were chatting animatedly over coffee, and a group of teachers including Professors Lupin and McGonagall. They were entertaining the headmistresses of Castelobruxo, Nalanda and Mahoutokoro.

"See, it's nice in here," Alaw said as she and Draco settled at a table near the steamy window. Draco grudgingly agreed and after they had ordered their lunch they sat in slightly awkward silence.

"So did you enjoy the first match?" Draco asked after a while and Alaw shrugged.

"Missed it," she replied. Though to be honest, she had heard the sequence of events so many times from Ron by now that she might as well have been there. The sly smile had returned to Draco's face.

"Ah yes, you're 'illness'," he said chuckling. "Tell, what became of the problem you were worrying about before the teams arrived?"

It took Alaw a moment to realise what he was talking about. When it clicked she worked to keep her expression neutral.

"It resolved itself," she said smoothly. Draco gave her the impression that he knew something she didn't and she frowned at him. "Why do you ask?"

Draco shrugged noncommittally and returned to the topic of books until their food arrived. Unknown to them, they had become a topic of interest to some of the other patrons of the café. Whilst they argued over which house Arya Stark ought to be in, clearly Slytherin in Alaw's opinion, Professor Lupin was watching them curiously.

"What do you make of that Minerva?" he asked his companion and she glanced over at the window where Draco was just laughing at something Alaw had said.

"Now there's an interesting development," McGonagall said, frowning over her the rim over her glass. "Lucius would have a heart attack if he saw that. I believe Severus can claim some of the credit for this budding scandal, he paired them together on a project."

Lupin chuckled.

"Perhaps there is hope for the Malfoys after all."

OoOoO

The weather grew progressively colder and stormier as November wore on. Emrys did not like storms at all and whenever one was due, Alaw left the castle under the cover of her invisibility cloak so she could be with him. Hagrid doted on the dragon, so much so that it interfered with his game-keeping and teaching duties. Care of Magical Creatures became quite a tense affair as Alaw was constantly glancing towards the cabin door, through which she sometimes heard Emrys calling to her. It was of course Hermione who came up with the solution to their problems when she found a scrap of advice in a very old dragon-keeper's manual in the library. There was a certain potion which could keep a dragon drowsy for several hours at a time, meaning Emrys stayed quiet when left alone and didn't scratch up everything in Hagrid's hut.

Alaw's command of parseltongue improved to the point where she could hear the difference in her speech when she spoke to Emrys, and even speak a few words of the language when he wasn't there at all. She knew it made Ron and Neville very uncomfortable so she did it as much as possible in their hearing, determined that they should snap out of their ridiculous prejudice. After reading up on the skill, she became something of an expert on snakes and magic related to them. It made her despise Voldemort more and more for the damage he had done to their reputation, which hadn't been brilliant to begin with. She hadn't heard a peep out of him since her dream in the Burrow so she hoped he was curled up in some desolate corner of the world slowly wasting away.

What with spending so much time out in the grounds these days, Alaw didn't get to interact with their exotic guests as much as the others. Ron of course became acquainted with them very quickly. Since there were so many people vying for practice space on one pitch, sessions often clashed and the players got to know each other well. For those students who were not on the school team, they got to share their classes with their foreign counterparts. Hermione had been incredibly impressed by the visitors' command of English until she realised that all the teacher's podiums had been charmed to translate any words spoken into the person's native tongue. She had come to learn this when Alaw first joined them for Defence Against the Dark Arts and had been astonished to hear Professor Lupin speaking to them in perfect, natural sounding Welsh.

This wasn't to say that most of the foreign students didn't speak excellent English. It made Alaw feel a little embarrassed for her poor language skills when French, Brazilian and Ugandan students spoke in perfectly understandable English. She tried, in vain, to use what little French she remembered from school one dinner time, much to the surprise of the Gryffindors.

"Excusez-moi, vous avez fini avec ça?" asked a handsome young man from Beauxbatons.

Predictably the Hogwarts students panicked as they tried to understand what he wanted, but Alaw smiled politely and passed the plate of jam tarts along the table.

The castle seemed more crowded than it usually did, even if its population had only swelled by about a hundred people. Perhaps it had something to do with all the different coloured robes, or all the new languages to be heard in the corridors. Alaw noticed that the Americans and the British got on very well, spending the most time together at the expense of the other students. She supposed it was natural given that they were cultural cousins and had a language in common. But there was still misunderstandings to be had as they discovered during their first shared Ancient Runes lesson. When Alaw and Hermione entered the classroom they found half a dozen new students already sitting at the tables, a pink robed Japanese boy, a couple of girls from the House of Wisdom, an Australian talking to the elegant bird Animagus from Uagadou, and a blonde American girl. When Alaw and Hermione sat down close to her she introduced herself in her loud Valley girl accent as Candice.

"So is California really as sunny as everyone says?" Hermione asked once they had started chatting about home, which turned out to be Los Angeles.

"Oh yeah, but it rains a lot in Massachusetts so here isn't so different from Ilvermorny," Candice shrugged. "I'm a Horned Serpent so I've been hanging out with your Ravenclaws, but they talk so funny! I love the British accent."

Alaw refrained from rolling her eyes. She had come across this phrase a lot from their American brethren since they had arrived, and had come to understand that they meant the posh English accent of the south when they said 'the British accent'. They had been most perturbed to meet Seamus Finnegan, had fawned over his 'Scottish accent' and had been astonished to hear that, no he wasn't Scottish, and no, Scotland and Ireland were not the same place. There had been all sorts of fun and games when they had heard Alaw speak and trying to explain Wales had been a nightmare. But when Candice enquired after it and Alaw resignedly told her where she was from, Candice nodded sagely.

"Yeah my mom likes Soccer, so I know a bit about the teams. Wales did quite well in the Euros didn't they?

"Um, yeah they did," said Alaw in surprise, feeling relieved she wouldn't have to go through the tricky politics again.

"My mom's a no-maj," said Candice in a conspiratorial whisper. "Big scandal, not really the done thing back home. Not like here."

"Oh I don't know, it's not exactly the norm here either," Hermione disagreed. "Alaw and I are muggleborns so we're even weirder."

"Oh you're Magbobs! Awesome!" said Candice excitedly.

Alaw was quite taken aback and exchanged a hesitant glance with Hermione, unsure whether or not they had just been insulted.

"Um, excuse me?" she asked, thinking they probably had. Behind them, Blaise Zabbini snorted.

"Magbob, now that is an old fashioned word. We just call them Mudbloods."

Candice whirled in her seat to glare at Blaise.

"Why don't you just shut up?" she snapped at him. "And wash your mouth out."

After that, Alaw and Hermione found themselves warming to Candice considerably.

They also made friends with the House of Wisdom students in the class, who were called Amira and Sabeen and who both played Chaser on their team. They were very pleasant girls and Alaw found herself drawn into very earnest discussion with the two of them when they all went for dinner together after the lesson.

But some of the foreign students got on their nerves, in particular Viktor Krum, who became something of a pain in the backside for Hermione. She couldn't do her work in the library anymore because he was in there so often. He didn't disturb them himself, he always sat quietly with his head in a book, but he always drew stalkers who giggled behind bookshelves as they dared each other to go and talk to him. Even more irritating were the reporters who spied on him, taking more photographs than they could possibly need.

"Ah, another exciting report for Which Broomstick, 'Breaking News! Krum sits silently in library for the fifth day running!" Alaw whispered sarcastically as a gum chewing youth snapped yet another picture. Her whisper wasn't exactly quiet and the reporter looked over at her angrily. Alaw didn't care, all the press hanging around made her incredibly nervous that someone might discover Emrys.

At the end of November the second game of the year was played, this time between Beauxbatons and Koldovstoretz. Alaw actually caught this game and though she found Quidditch quite dull and it was raining heavily, it was mercifully quite short. The mounts of the Russian team were the most interesting thing about the game, they played on small trees rather than streamlined broomsticks like the Beauxbatons students. Beauxbatons won in the end with a lead of thirty points and Alaw was quick to lead the group back to the castle to get dry. But the most interesting development of the day came after game.

Once they were all in dry clothes Alaw and her friends returned downstairs for the knees up that was happening in Hogsmead to celebrate the game. The Leaky Cauldron was of course packed but they arrived early enough to buy drinks and find a cosy spot upstairs on the balcony overlooking the bar. There Alaw ran into Draco who was once again alone, an unusual thing for him. He was leaning against the balcony looking down on the crowd below.

"Afternoon," said Alaw, dethatching herself from the Gryffindors who were reluctant to come any closer so she could talk to Draco. "What are you so interested in?"

In answer, Draco pointed at something on the ground and Alaw leant over to have a look. Two students, a boy and girl, were having a blazing row in rapid French right below them. They were attracting quite a lot of staring but they seemed oblivious to it.

"Oh dear, wonder what they're arguing about," said Alaw, continuing to watch as she took a sip of butterbeer.

"He's been cheating on her, and she's giving him hell for it," Draco informed her, putting his head on his fist and crossing his legs.

"I didn't know you spoke French that well," said Alaw, impressed. Draco glanced sideways at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Well Jones, if you knew all my little secrets then I wouldn't have that devastatingly attractive air of mystery now would I?"

Alaw elbowed him then called Ron over.

"Looks like your crush is about to chuck her boyfriend," she told him and Ron immediately leant over the banister to stare avidly.

Ron had been talking nonstop about the girl, whose name was Fleur Delacour, for weeks. Alaw only saw her from time to time in the Great Hall and had never had a conversation with her, but the way Ron spoke it sounded like they were soul-mates. Fleur wasn't on the Beauxbatons team but had come to Hogwarts to widen her education and had been an object of fascination for a lot of the male residents of the castle since. Ron was convinced she was Veela and she certainly had the looks for it, but Alaw was unconvinced.

"Why would the stupid git cheat on her?!" Ron asked when Alaw explained the reason for the fight they were observing. "I mean look at her!"

"I've heard she's an arrogant cow," said Draco absently, still with his chin in his hand. Ron immediately hit back.

"What do you know about it Malfoy? You're not even on the school team!"

Draco straightened up in order to give Ron a most contemptuous sneer and Alaw hastily stepped in.

"Ron, go back to them lot, I'll be there in a minute. No, go on."

She shooed him towards the table Hermione and Neville had claimed and he went, glaring at Draco. Alaw then turned to her Slytherin friend with a sigh.

"What happened to the truce?" she asked tiredly and Draco shrugged.

"Only applies to you and I, I never said anything about Weasel King."

Alaw rolled her eyes and took another gulp of her drink.

"Don't suppose there's any point in asking you to join us, is there?" she asked sadly and Draco shook his head.

"None whatsoever. I was going to go back soon anyway, I still have a few chapters of a Game of Thrones to go. I want to see how Ned gets on."

Alaw grinned mischievously but left that topic aside.

"It would be nice for us one day to get to hang out like proper friends do," she said and Draco raised his eyebrows.

"Wait a minute, we're friends now?" he asked and Alaw sniggered.

"I'm afraid so, I'm as shocked as you are. Now go on, you're going to just love the next chapter."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note – Thanks to Annie and leticiadelacruzarias, as you can see from the name of the chapter there will be lots of Sirius in this one, as well as some development of Alaw and Draco's friendship. This week on Tumblr I did an in-depth history of Castelobruxo, linking it with the first European expedition down the Amazon.**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 **Sirius Black**

"The Yule Ball," Snape drawled at his crop of Slytherins, "Is a tradition of the Quidditch Tournament. It is a formal dance which will take place on Christmas night, lasting until midnight."

There was a smattering of interested murmurs around the large classroom they were using for this meeting. Alaw glanced over at Draco who was sitting across the room from her with Blaise. When this meeting had been called after dinner yesterday she had intended to sit with Draco, but on entering the classroom she had realised that this was somewhat foolish. Theodore and his gang were present after all and would surely notice this friendly gesture. Snape fixed his house with a stern glare.

"Now, this will be a very elaborate affair, Ministry officials will be attending, as well as members of the International Confederation of Wizards. The Daily Prophet will be sure to capture any misbehaviour on candid camera, so if any of you embarrass your school or your house by, say, starting a fight with any Gryffindors, you will suffer my severe displeasure."

His gaze swept the room and lingered briefly on Alaw, sitting alone on one of the higher benches. Theodore, who was sitting further down, twisted in his seat to smirk at her with malice. A few more dire warnings were given before Snape dismissed them. Alaw had positioned herself beside the door so she could make a quick getaway and was out of the room before Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle had even got to their feet. Hurrying to stay ahead of the crowd, Alaw emerged onto the marble staircase where a torrent of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were making their noisy way to dinner. She allowed herself to be swept along until she reached the entrance hall where she came across Ron, Neville and Hermione. Neville seemed to be waltzing with Hermione whilst Ron sniggered at them.

"What on earth are you doing?" Alaw asked when she drew near and Neville took a hasty step away from Hermione.

"Just showing her the Hogwarts Waltz," he said sheepishly.

"Didn't know there was a Hogwarts Waltz."

Ron groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"Oh god that fucking dance. When we were growing up, mum insisted we went to this god awful dancing tutor. Cost an arm and a leg and it was the most boring way to spend every Saturday afternoon."

"Well, actually I rather enjoyed it," said Neville and a faint pink blush rose in his cheeks. "It's part of a young wizard's education before he comes to Hogwarts, dancing, literature, languages and music, though I was never any good at the last two."

"Did you all go to finishing school as well and learn how to curtsey and match your pearl necklaces?" Alaw sniggered and Hermione tutted her scoldingly.

"Don't listen to her Neville. I think lots of women like a man who can dance."

That shut Ron up though Alaw continued to chuckle.

"So I take it McGonagall told you all about this Yule Ball thing as well? Snape gave us a proper bollocking, practically threatened to curse us if we started anything."

Hermione smiled mischievously and glanced at Ron before saying,

"Professor McGonagall took Ron aside at the end, didn't she Ron?"

Ron scowled and crossed his arms, scuffing the floor with the front of his boot.

"She said I have to open the dancing with the rest of the Hogwarts team," he grouched. "Which means I've got to get a partner."

Neville was too good a friend to laugh as Hermione and Alaw did. Ron tried to shut them up by reminding them that they would have to get partners too, but Alaw brushed that notion off in an instant, telling him she didn't need a date to enjoy a party. But, even as she said this, an idea planted itself at the back of her mind. There was a lot of excited talk in the Great Hall over dinner as everyone discussed the ball. It was only the first of December so that gave them plenty of time to make their plans, to order outfits and find partners.

"It'll be just like prom!" said Candice, who had taken to sitting with them at mealtimes. That required an explanation to the wizard-born at the table and Alaw fell into happy reminiscence about her end of secondary school prom, when half the boys had turned up drunk and nobody had bothered getting dates.

"So who were you thinking of asking Ron?" Candice asked and Ron's cheek went pink.

"I know who he wants to ask," Alaw sang and Ron glared at her.

Though teasing was fun, Alaw wasn't inclined to reveal Ron's crush to the gaggle of listening Gryffindors, no matter how much they pestered. She just ate her lasagne and smiled innocently at them all. They hung about until about eight o clock, taking their time with the meal and chatting with the foreign students at their table. Eventually they all rose and made their way upstairs to the Gryffindor Common Room. Alaw was yawning despite it being nowhere near bedtime and was just thinking longingly of the latest book Draco had lent her, waiting on the side table in her room, when there was something of a traffic jam in the corridor.

"What's going on? Someone forgotten the password?" Ron asked, going on tiptoe to peer over the heads of the crowd. Alaw tried to see if there was a way for her to slip past everyone and into her own corridor, but the jostling students were backing away, pushing them towards the stairs again.

"What's the problem?" Alaw asked with a frown as excited and even frightened voices started to permeate through the crowd.

"What's the hold up here then?" asked a new voice and Alaw and the others turned to find Professor McGonagall standing there, obviously on the way to her own rooms. Suddenly, Ginny Weasley burst through the crowd looking frightened.

"Professor! The Fat Lady, she's gone! Someone's stabbed her portrait!"

McGonagall's head jerked up and she moved quickly through the knot of scared Gryffindors, barking at people to step back. Alaw peered through the newly created gap and her eyes went wide. Ginny had not exaggerated, the Fat Lady's portrait had been slashed to ribbons, great chucks of the paper were dangling off it and the attacker had stabbed so fiercely in places that there was gouges in the wooden back.

"Johnson, fetch the headmaster at once," McGonagall barked at the nearest prefect. The girl dashed towards the stairs whilst the rest of the Gryffindors began to panic, jostling and shoving in order to get away. Alaw found herself pushed up against the wall in the crush and she struggled to free herself.

"Everyone stay still, no one is to leave this corridor!" McGonagall shouted over all the noise. "We will wait here until the headmaster arrives."

She obviously didn't want people going off in all sorts of directions and possibly running into the attacker. Thankfully they didn't have to wait long before Angelina Johnson hurtled back into the corridor with Dumbledore, Snape and Lupin hot on her heels. Once again Alaw found herself crushed against the wall as people scrambled out of the way for the headmaster. He took one look at the destruction before turning to the teachers.

"Get the Hogwarts students into the Great Hall, all of them. The foreign students have already returned to their carriages but a few are staying in the west wing, they will need to be warned. And alert Dawlish at the front gates, the perimeter needs to be secured. And we need to find the Fat Lady."

"Well you're in luck then!" cackled a voice above their heads. Everyone looked up and saw Peeves floating along near the ceiling, grinning down at them, clearly delighted with the situation.

"Where is she Peeves? Did she say who did this?" asked Dumbledore and Peeves' smile faltered. Having Dumbledore in the vicinity greatly reduced the chances of mayhem.

"Down on the fourth floor, Professorhead," Peeves admitted in a snivelling, grovelling tone. "Hiding in a landscape portrait, screaming about him."

"Who, Peeves? Who attacked her?" asked Dumbledore, patiently. An evil smile spread of Peeves' face.

"She wouldn't let him in without a password, and he turned nasty, very nasty indeed. But always was a wrongun wasn't he? That Sirius Black."

OoOoO

Professor McGonagall practically frogmarched Alaw down to the Great Hall, Snape lingering not far away with his wand out and his black eyes darting from side to side. All the Gryffindors were shepherded downstairs with the Ravenclaws joining them along the way. When they reached the Hall they found the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were already there, along with most of the teachers and group of maroon robed Aurors. Whilst the head Auror accosted Dumbledore and spoke with him in a low, urgent whispers, Draco made a beeline for the new arrivals.

"What's going on?" he demanded, drawing Alaw to one side so he wouldn't have to talk to Ron, Neville and Hermione.

"Sirius Black has attacked the Fat Lady, shredded up her portrait," Alaw whispered. All around the hall the same was being repeated as the Gryffindors spread the news. Draco looked shocked but, as was typical for him, smoothed it away almost instantly.

"Do you think he got into the Gryffindor Tower?" he asked in a low voice, angling himself so that Ron, who was glaring over at the pair of them, couldn't lip-read him.

"I don't think so," Alaw replied. "Peeves said the Fat Lady wouldn't let him in without a password and he went mental. So odds are he's lurking around the castle somewhere."

Draco winced and looked over at the Aurors who all had their wands out and were trying to get some clamouring Gryffindors to calm down long enough to give them statements. They must have been the ones who were in the common room when Black attacked, so must have heard the whole thing.

"This is going to be a nightmare for the Ministry, if they can't guarantee the safety of the foreign teams then they might call off the tournament."

"Leaving Hogwarts looking like a right tit," Alaw agreed.

Draco didn't linger long and when he returned to Blaise he began relaying the information Alaw had given him. Once the hall was secured and all the students were accounted for, the teachers called for their attention. Dumbledore addressed them from his podium at the top of the hall.

"As you will already have ascertained, Sirius Black has entered this castle and attempted to gain entry to the Gryffindor common room. A search is being instigated and for your own safety I ask that you all remain here until it is concluded. If you are worried about a fellow students then you must alert the head boy or girl, whom I leave in charge."

He then waved his wand and the four house tables rose gracefully into the air above their heads and floated away to stack themselves against a far wall. Another wave of his wand, and hundreds of old-fashioned purple sleeping bags appeared on the floor. Dumbledore gave a few more instructions to the head pupils and the prefects and then departed the hall with the Aurors. It was far too early to go to sleep but the students had little else to do but choose their sleeping bags and sit down to discuss the situation. A couple of members of the Law Enforcement Squad stood guard by the doors as the students arranged themselves. Alaw, Ron, Hermione and Neville claimed a group of sleeping bags at the foot of the teacher's platform and as they kicked off their shoes, a knot of Slytherins settled across the makeshift corridor from them. Thankfully Theodore's gang was not amongst them, but Draco, Blaise, Flora and Cameron were.

"You know what I want to know, is why Black was trying to break into Gryffindor Tower," Alaw murmured. Ron shuddered.

"Cause he wanted to murder the whole lot of us I expect," he muttered, and he and Neville glanced about nervously as though Black would appear at any moment. But Hermione looked thoughtful.

"No, Al has a point. Why Gryffindor Tower? According to your dad, Ron, Black is after Al because she defeated Voldemort – oh calm down – but Al isn't in Gryffindor."

"Yeah," Alaw agreed. "If he was trying to kill me, wouldn't it make more sense to break into the Slytherin Dungeons?"

Ron frowned and scratched his chin in puzzled sort of way as the truth of their words sank in. Neville however, speaking so quietly they had to lean in to hear, said,

"Maybe he heard that you'd moved out of the dungeons, Al. It happened last year, that's plenty of time for word to get out. Maybe he heard you were living on the seventh and just assumed that meant Gryffindor Tower. If I were him, I'd find out as much information as possible before going after you, and it isn't exactly a secret that you hang out with us is it?"

This was a satisfying answer to Alaw's first concern but her second was trickier. Everyone was asking the same question all over the hall. How did he get in? Hermione grew very irritated when people started suggesting that Black had apperated in, huffing that it was common knowledge that one couldn't apperate or disapperate inside the Hogwarts grounds. Across the aisle, Draco was saying much the same thing to Flora.

"Hermione, how do the Hogwarts defences work exactly?" Alaw asked curiously. She had read Hogwarts; A History but not as thoroughly as Hermione, focusing on the historical parts rather than the ins and outs of the castle itself. Hermione puffed herself up importantly, always glad to be petitioned for information.

"There are seven ward stones buried around the perimeter, and they get strengthened by every headmaster who takes over. Nobody can apperate past the perimeter."

"But what if someone just walked in?" Alaw asked, thinking about the amount of times she had seen Hagrid stride out of the Forbidden Forest. "I mean, the walls don't extend the whole way around do they? They only extend a little way past the front gates on either side. If Black came through the Forest…"

"The Forest is a defence in and of itself," Hermione reminded her. "Black would have a job getting through there without running into something nasty."

Hermione saw Alaw's sceptical expression and grinned.

"I know, it's a bit flimsy. But that's just the grounds, the castle walls are also warded. Once the doors are closed, no one can get in. And then you have to remember the castle itself is sort – alive, you know?"

"Alive?" Ron laughed. "How can a building be alive?"

"A building that has had hundreds of witches and wizards living in it for a thousand years," Hermione corrected testily. "These walls have secrets. The very stone is saturated with magic, some of it left over from the Founders. There's an old legend that each Founder left their mark on the school, charging it to protect its students. Anyway there's plenty of academic evidence that the castle has a magic of its own. Haven't you ever wondered why the staircases always move into position when you're late for something?"

"Or why you always seem to be in the right place and the right time to overhear important conversations," Alaw realised. "I always thought that was weird."

"The point is Ron, if Sirius Black tried to get in here using conventional means, he'd have a real job. The castle doesn't take kindly to intruders who mean its students harm."

"Well then, how the hell did he get in?" Ron asked waspishly.

For that, no one had a real answer, only wild theories. As the night wore on a few people started to lie down to doze and around two o clock in the morning, the head pupils started telling people it was time to stop talking and go to sleep. Alaw found this a little galling, they were adults after all, but complied all the same. About two hours later, Alaw was woken from a doze by a set of robes swishing past her head. She opened her eyes and saw Professor Snape picking his way towards Dumbledore who was standing only a few feet away.

"Headmaster," Snape greeted in a muted voice. Dumbledore turned to face the potions master.

"Any news?" he asked urgently and Snape shook his head.

"I've searched the entire dungeons, he isn't there. But after last year's fiasco I really don't think I can guarantee that."

"No, no I believe Black has left the castle. It would be foolish of him to linger," Dumbledore sighed. "There's no point moving the students back now, but in the morning it should be safe to let them back into their dormitories. I've found a temporary guardian for Gryffindor Tower until the Fat Lady has recovered."

"How is the Ministry going to handle this?" Snape asked.

"Poorly, no doubt. I've just spent half an hour trying to calm Karkarov. He's in a riot, accusing us of endangering his students. And a few of the other heads have expressed concerns, but no one seems to be threatening to leave. They understand that it would be a sign of cowardice."

Snape paused and glanced over his shoulder towards where Alaw and her friends were lying. Alaw quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

"What about Jones, Headmaster? If Black is this intent on killing her, she should be warned."

"Yes, I've put it off far too long. We'll let her know in the morning."

Dumbledore and Snape moved away from them after that, called away by the arrival of Dawlish the head Auror. Alaw rolled over and found herself facing Draco across the aisle. He too was wide awake and the two blinked at each other in greeting.

OoOoO

The following morning the Daily Prophet was screaming about the attack. Alaw supposed there hadn't been any chance of supressing the press what with so many of them on the scene. She read the somewhat hysterical article over her scrambled eggs at breakfast, snorting at the interviews with students who clearly didn't know a thing. She had just finished her food when Professor McGonagall came strolling down the Gryffindor table to talk to her.

"Miss Jones, could I have a word in my office?"

Ron, Hermione and Neville glanced at Alaw meaningfully as she rose to follow their head of house out of the Great Hall. When they reached the Fat Lady's corridor Alaw caught a glimpse of a new portrait being put in place by Professor Flitwick. It showed a knight in full plate armour, riding a fat little pony. On seeing them, the knight called,

"Greetings fair ladies, come to see that I am attending my duties?"

McGonagall ignored him and opened the door to her office, standing aside to let Alaw in first. Alaw was a little surprised to find Snape inside, standing beside the desk. Her head of house rarely involved himself with her, preferring to let McGonagall or the other teachers deal with any issues she had.

"Please sit down Alaw, don't worry, you aren't in trouble," said McGonagall, settling herself behind the desk. Alaw sat opposite on the uncomfortable wooden chair and clasped her hands together. Though she knew what was coming, she was still slightly nervous.

"Alaw, I don't see much point in concealing this from you any longer. We believe that Sirius Black is trying to kill you."

Alaw attempted to school her face into an expression of shock and fear, which was a little difficult with Snape watching her.

"I know this must be very distressing for you, but it is a threat we must take seriously. Just before Black escaped Azkaban, his guards reported hearing him muttering about you in his sleep. It seems clear that he wants revenge for your part in the downfall of his master."

"Right," said Alaw, because it seemed clear that she was expected to say something. "Um, so that's why he broke into Hogwarts."

"Precisely. But you needn't worry, security has been doubled since last night. The castle walls are now almost impenetrable. There will be a guard at all the entrances, no one, staff or student, will be allowed in or out of the grounds without passing a security check. But, I think it best if you no longer go to Hogsmead."

Alaw's heart sank along with her shoulders. She looked at McGonagall in despair.

"Not even with a guard, Professor?" she asked desperately and McGonagall shook her head.

"The village would be the perfect place to abduct you, even with a guard it would be too risky."

Though she saw the sense in McGonagall's words, this still irritated Alaw. She hadn't even started her Christmas shopping yet, and she needed to buy a dress for the Yule Ball! Her disappointment must have been obvious because McGonagall said,

"I know this is frustrating Miss Jones but I'm sure you understand that it is necessary. We don't want to give Black any more opportunities to harm you. As such, we will be placing a guard outside your rooms at night."

Alaw was mightily pissed off for the rest of the day. She loved going to the village, it was the only way of having fun around here now that all trips to Dufftown had been cancelled. Hermione tried to cheer her up by promising to fetch any presents Alaw wanted to buy from the village, but this didn't really help. How was Hermione supposed to buy her a dress? Alaw needed to be there to make sure it fit. Wanting to get out of the castle, she and the others made their way down to Hagrid's that afternoon. Emrys had been tentatively poking his head out of the back door for a few days now, working up the courage to go outside. But as the approached the cabin it wasn't the dragon which came bounding out of the pumpkin patch, but a large, shaggy black dog. It barked wildly when it saw them and Alaw stepped smartly behind Ron as the animal ran up to them.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked in surprise, trying to scratch the dog's ears as it leapt up and attempted to lick his face.

"I don't like dogs," said Alaw through gritted teeth, flinching when the animal sniffed enthusiastically at the hem of her cloak.

"What?" Ron laughed. "You're ok with a dragon but a dog is really scary?"

Feeling cross for being mocked, Alaw tried to shoo the dog away but it seemed determined to be petted by her, shoving its head under her hand and slobbering over her robes. Hagrid stuck his head out of the kitchen window and shouted,

"Heel Snuffles! Heel ye dozy thing."

Once Hagrid let them indoors the dog calmed down a little and sat in front of the fire, tail wagging a mile a minute across the carpet. Emrys took up his customary position in Alaw's lap and kept his yellow eyes on the dog.

"Where did you get that thing Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"Found him in the pumpkin patch this morning," Hagrid shrugged. "Seemed half starved so I put out a bowl, now he won't go away. Emrys seemed to like him so I thought I'd keep him. Been thinking of getting a dog ter be honest."

"You like him Emrys?" asked Alaw in surprise and the hatchling stretched luxuriously.

' _Black Dog is fun, he plays with me_.'

Emrys' idea of playing involved a lot of tumbling and biting, not such a problem at the moment given that he didn't have any teeth. The dog came over and put its head in Alaw's lap. She supposed she would just have to tolerate the creature then.

OoOoO

Now that she confined to the castle grounds, December wore on in rather a dull fashion. What with the Yule Ball and the lure of the foreign students, the vast majority of people put their names down to stay over Christmas. Alaw had written to her parents explaining the situation and promising to catch the train home on Boxing Day. She had been planning to find them both good Christmas presents to make it up to them, but this was impossible now that she couldn't go to Hogsmead. At first, Alaw hadn't been too angry about her confinement as she had the invisibility cloak at her disposal. However, the day after the rule had been imposed upon her, new protections went up all around the school.

The front gates were now the only point of entry into the grounds and they was guarded by senior Aurors. Students had to hand over their wands when the left and re-entered the grounds to prove they were who they said they were. And the gates had been bewitched with heavy anti-secrecy charms, meaning that if she tried to walk through them under the invisibility cloak, Alaw would be revealed for all the world to see.

"So if you can't go into the village, does that mean you won't be going to the Yule Ball?" Draco asked quietly one freezing evening when they were both working in the library. The cold had permeated through the windows and walls lately and they were both wrapped up in their cloaks, occasionally putting their hands close to their candles to thaw them out.

"Of course I'm going, why wouldn't I be?" asked Alaw, flexing her fingers before taking up her quill again. They weren't actually working on their project that evening, all the research had been concluded weeks ago and now they were just waiting for the potion to brew. But they still had plenty of other Potions work to catch up on so their truce still held.

"Well, you'll need dress robes won't you? Or do you already have some?"

"No," said Alaw glumly. "I'm just going to have to trust Hermione's fashion sense. She's got my measurements so the rest is up to her."

Draco snorted, just to remind her how little he thought of Hermione, and flipped through a book on poisonous fungi.

"Do you have your robes yet?" asked Alaw after a pause, bored with her own work and keen to procrastinate.

"Oh yes, I went into the village for a fitting the other day," Draco replied absently. He didn't elaborate and Alaw tisked impatiently.

"Well?!" she persisted. "What are they like?"

"My robes? They're black, now please shut up I'm trying to finish this."

He went back to ignoring her and she watched him scratch out his essay for a while, irritated.

"I enjoy these lengthy conversations with you Draco," she sniped. Draco sighed and glanced up at her.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be annoying?" he demanded and Alaw checked her watch theatrically.

"Not until seven," she confirmed. "Anyway, black? That's a bit boring don't you think? I told Hermione to get my favourite colour."

Draco realised at this point that she was too bored to leave him alone, and so with a long suffering sigh he put his quill down. After leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms he said,

"Fine, if you won't shut up I'll humour you." He took a breath and said with sarcastic brightness. "Goodness! You're favourite colour? Whatever could it be?"

Over and a neighbouring table, Blaise Zabini snorted over his own work and Daphne Greengrass shook her head, muttering something about immature boys.

"It's blue, thanks for asking," replied Alaw airily. "You? Let me guess, Slytherin green."

To her surprise, Draco went a little pink and looked down at his essay, rearranging the parchment unnecessarily. Alaw squinted at him suspiciously.

"What? Is it not green?"

"It's," Draco began, glancing around to make sure Blaise and Daphne weren't listening. "Well, don't laugh, but it's actually red."

As Alaw proceeded to laugh about this and tease Draco that he ought to have been a Gryffindor, Blaise sighed and raised an eyebrow at Daphne.

"Do you think we should let him know we're on to him?" he asked her in a muted voice and she shook her head, smirking.

"No, where's the fun in that?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note – That 12 years thing in the article was a mistake, thanks for pointing it out cos I'd completely missed it. J. recently said Hermione was black so I've incorporated it into my own canon, but I wish she had make that a bit clearer in the books! I've had the wrong image of Hermione in my head all these years. Hogwarts has four years of study in this story, Alaw and her friends are in second year, Fred and George are in third year and Percy graduated at the end of the last book.**

 **Chapter 12**

 **Marauders at Hogwarts**

On the last day of term, Draco and Alaw handed in their completed potions project in a little crystal bottle, labelled with both their names. Alaw felt a little sad as Snape stowed their work carefully in a box, ready to be examined over the holidays. She was confident that they would achieve good marks for it, but this meant she would no longer have an excuse to hang out with Draco. They were now genuine friends and she would miss their long chats and nerd rants in the library.

"Well, we did it, we managed not to kill each other," Draco said as their left the potions classroom. "Quite a feat don't you agree?"

"Definitely. So I suppose we'll just have to go back to being horrible to each other now then?" Alaw asked, joking but still feeling quite sombre.

They walked together up to the Entrance Hall where they paused at the foot of the marble staircase. Alaw dithered, her hand hovering over her satchel.

"Um, I've got something for you…" she began a little awkwardly. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Another book?"

"Yes, but this isn't a loan. It's for you to keep, just an early Christmas present."

She pulled the gift out of her bag and handed it to him. Draco ran his eye over the brightly coloured wrapping paper in some surprise.

"I didn't know we were doing Christmas presents," he said and Alaw shrugged.

"It's not brand new, I asked mum to send my copy in the post. I've not touched it since I was in school and it was going to waste on the shelf at home, so it's yours."

"Well, thank you," said Draco, tucking the present under his arm.

They stood a little longer in awkward silence until Alaw remembered she was supposed to be down at Hagrid's Hut and said,

"Well bye then. It's been fun working with you, even if you are a massive pain in the backside. I'll see you around."

"Yes, see you at the Ball," said Draco absently. As Alaw hurried towards the front doors she heard Draco opening the present discreetly.

The next day they woke to the heaviest snowfall yet and Alaw peered through her bedroom window excitedly. It was a perfect day for sledding, no school work and plenty of time to kill until Christmas day and the Ball. As she had slept late it was almost lunch time so Alaw pulled on her warmest muggle clothes, rolled up her Slytherin scarf, gloves and hat up in a cloak and headed downstairs. On the way out of her rooms she passed a member of the Law Enforcement Squad who had been assigned to watch her door.

"Morning," he grunted, without glancing up from his Daily Prophet.

Neville and Hermione were sitting together at the Gryffindor table as usual and Alaw bounded over to them excitedly.

"Did you see the snow?! It's going to be great! I thought we could grab the twins and Ginny and head out after we've eaten," Alaw said as she buttered a freshly baked bread roll, ready to dunk into her tomato soup. Hermione and Neville looked at each other in a pained way.

"Um, actually Al, we were going to go into the village this afternoon," Neville said apologetically and Alaw paused, mid-spread.

"We wouldn't normally leave you," Hermione said beseechingly. "It's just, we need to buy Christmas presents. And dress robes for the ball."

Alaw should have expected this, her friends had been good enough not to go into the village since Alaw had been given her ban. But Hermione was right, there were things that needed doing and it wasn't fair of Alaw to stop them. Trying not to sound disappointed Alaw said,

"Oh, yeah, of course. Would you mind picking up some things for me too? If I give you the money?"

Hermione agreed at once so after they'd eaten their fill, Alaw dashed back upstairs to get some cash and a list of the presents she wanted to get everyone. Hermione took them and promised to bring Alaw some festive fudge from Honeydukes by way of a consolation prize before she and Neville headed for the front gates. Alaw wondered what to do with herself. Ron had already gone into the village with the rest of the team so he wasn't around to have the epic snowball fight Alaw had been picturing in her head. Perhaps Draco was free and for a moment Alaw's mind whizzed through all the possible places he might be, but she stopped herself. Even if he wasn't also in the village, they didn't have work to do together anymore. He might not even want to hang out with a muggleborn when he didn't absolutely have to. And Theodore was likely to be lurking about.

So Alaw supposed there was nothing to do but go and visit Emrys again. She had been trying to get him interested in more substantial foods than milk and chicken blood but he often got distracted by Snuffles, wanting to play or chase his tail. It was as she was walking towards the front doors that Alaw was grabbed from behind and yanked backwards in a broom cupboard.

"Fuck!" she swore, as she nearly tripped over a bucket.

"Keep your voice down," hissed Fred. He and George had their wands lit and they were grinning at Alaw in a mischievous way. She frowned at them.

"What are you playing at? How come you're not in the village with the rest of the team?"

"We'll be joining them in a little while," George assured her. "But first, we wanted to give you something."

He held out a large, folded piece of parchment and Alaw took it dubiously. She could well remember the last time she had accepted something from the Twins, a custard cream which had had her coughing feathers for a day. But this parchment seemed quite innocent for when she opened it, she found it to be blank. She looked up at the twins, waiting for the punchline.

"We heard you'd been confined to the grounds," Fred explained. "Which didn't seem fair at all to us. So we thought we'd help you out a bit, seeing as you helped us way back in the summer."

It took Alaw a moment to realise what he was talking about, then she remembered the mysterious bag she'd smuggled onto the Hogwarts Express for them. She looked down at the parchment again with renewed interest.

"So, this thing is going to help me get into the village?" she asked excitedly. George tapped the parchment with his wand and said grandly,

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Fascinated, Alaw watched as lines spread over the surface of the paper like spider's webs. Straight lines crisscrossing each other, squiggly lines spiralling around, and words joined together to label the new pictures. In no time at all Alaw saw what it was.

"This is a map of Hogwarts!" she exclaimed, staring avidly at a little box near her thumb which was labelled 'Broom cupboard off the Entrance Hall' and three tiny pairs of footprints inside it, labelled Fred Weasley, George Weasley and Alaw Jones. "But this is brilliant! I thought the castle was unplottable!"

"On a larger map, yes," George confirmed. "But not on a smaller scale and not for these true masters."

He tapped the top of the map which Alaw saw was emblazoned with the words, _Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, are proud to present, the MARAUDER'S MAP!_

"Who are those people?" Alaw asked, holding the paper closer to her eyes so she could read the names properly.

"No idea," Fred shrugged. "But they were geniuses whoever they were, and we think they were at school quite a while ago, but not too far back because we know Filch was working here at the same time."

"How?"

"Because he confiscated the map from them, that's where we got it. We nicked it from his office in first year out of a filing cabinet full of confiscated stuff. We don't think he knew what it was though."

"I knew you guys had a secret!" Alaw crowed. "I knew you could never get away with all the stuff you do all on your lonesome."

"Well, it does help to have a cheat sheet," George grinned. "Now this is just a temporary loan mind you. We'll want it back once you've been gallivanting in Hogsmead for a while. But once we finish Hogwarts, you might as well have it. We'll want someone to carry on our legacy."

"Now then, this is the part that should interest you," said Fred, pointing to a section of the map. "See here, on the third floor, this is a secret passage. It's one of the one's Filch doesn't know about. It goes all the way to Honeydukes cellar so be careful when you get out the other end. It's hidden behind that horrible statue of the one-eyed witch. All you have to do is tap the statue with your wand and say 'Dissendium'. Piece of cake really."

Alaw stared between the twins and the map, a grin spreading on her face.

"You guys, I don't know what to say!" she said but George just waved a hand.

"Don't say anything, just get us something for Christmas and make sure to wipe the map when you're done. Just say 'Mischief Managed' and it'll go blank."

The twins left her after that, heading to Hogsmead in the usual way no doubt to closet themselves in Zonko's Joke Shop. Alaw staying in the broom cupboard a little longer to examine the map. She watched a group of the Slytherins which included Draco, Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle sitting around the fire in their common room. Ah well, she should have expected he would go back to hanging out with those scumbags. This map was a wondrous piece of magic and once she had had her fill, Alaw stowed it carefully in her bag and dashed back upstairs. She hurried to her rooms, which were no longer being guarded seeing as it was daytime, to retrieve the invisibility cloak from her trunk. She wasn't going to risk being seen in the village by anyone other than her friends.

Then she made her way to the third floor. She found the statue no problem and after glancing up and down the corridor to make sure she was alone, she pulled on the cloak. There was a small gap between the wall and the statue and Alaw squeezed into it before pulling out her wand and whispering the incantation. The hump of the witch opened slowly to reveal a stone slide leading into darkness. It didn't occur to her for an instant that she shouldn't go. After all, it was broad daylight, she would be under the cloak and no one even knew she would be in the village. How was Sirius Black even supposed to find her? Let alone kill her.

Alaw clambered awkwardly into the tunnel and let herself slide down for quite a long while. When the slide did eventually level out and spit her off the end, she guessed she must be under the school. She was now inside a tunnel, carved out of the rock on which Hogwarts was built. It reminded her unpleasantly of the tunnel which led to the secret room Voldemort had hidden in the previous year.

"Lumos," Alaw whispered, illuminating the way ahead before setting off. She had to crouch slightly because the roof of the tunnel was low, but it was a relatively straight path which took her about fifteen minutes to traverse, roughly the time it took to cross the lawn and walk down the path to the village. When she came to the end of the tunnel she found a wooden ladder leaning against the wall. It looked like one of Filch's and Alaw guessed Fred and George had nicked it to ease their passage. Above her head, Alaw could heard the muffled voices of a crowd of people.

She climbed up the ladder and eased open the trapdoor at the top. Through the crack she saw many boxes and bottles, and the sweet smell of boiling sugar. It seemed she had indeed reached Honeydukes. The trapdoor was very cleverly hidden and Alaw put a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans on top of it to remind her where it was when she returned. After negotiating the stairs and slipping into the shop she was faced with the task of moving through the crowd of students without bumping into anyone. The place was mainly filled with foreign students jabbering in half a dozen languages. Chad Hogan, the darling of the Ilvermorny team, was roaring with laughter as his friend swallowed a pepper imp and steam began pouring out of his nose.

Over by the window Hermione and Neville were scooping various sweets out of barrels into paper bags and Alaw made her stealthy way over to them.

"Pass me some of those Crystalized Pineapples, Al loves them," Hermione said, gesturing towards the barrel in question. Neville scooped some of the sugary treats into the bag Hermione held out and then asked,

"Where do you think Ron's got to? He said he'd be here by now."

"Oh he's probably still flirting with every girl on the Beauxbatons team," Alaw said and Neville jumped out of his skin, nearly upsetting his own goody bag.

"Al!" Hermione gasped. "Where did you come from?! How did you get out of the castle? Did Professor Dumbledore let you out?"

"Not exactly," Alaw said, grinning. She proceeded to explain about the Marauder's Map and spoke over Hermione's frantic worries about Sirius Black. "Hermione, calm down, I'm under the cloak aren't I? There's hundreds of people around plus a bunch of Aurors and Law Enforcement guys, if Black shows his face he'll be arrested like that!"

She snapped her fingers and Hermione pursed her lips in an uncanny impression of Professor McGonagall. However she couldn't argue with Alaw's logic and questioned her further about the map as they left Honeydukes. Hogsmead looked like a Christmas card, covered in a blanket of snow, with a group of carol singers harmonising to _Ring the Hogwarts Bell_ outside the Three Broomsticks. With Alaw present they managed to get through their Christmas shopping in no time at all. Alaw still wasn't sure what to buy Hermione until her friend stopped outside the Magical Menagerie and pointed out something in the window.

"Oh look, isn't he sweet?" she cooed and Alaw peered through the frosted glass. There was basket on display showing one of the ugliest cats she had ever seen. She liked cats, much better than dogs, but this ginger thing had a squashed face and matted fur. But Hermione fawned over the animal, making up Alaw's mind for what she was going to buy her. She left the cat where it was for the time being for they had more important things to buy.

"Uh, you don't have to come in Nev," Alaw said when they paused outside Gladrags Wizardwear. "We'll probably be a while and you've still got stuff to buy."

Neville was glad for the excuse to escape and he heading in the direction of the post office whilst the girls entered the shop. Neither of them could afford to have their dresses custom made so they gravitated towards the second hand racks. Some girls might sneer at the hand-me-downs but Alaw simply didn't see the point of buying a brand new dress she would only wear very occasionally. The dresses on the rack were as good as new, probably because their previous owners had only worn them once.

"Here's a blue one," Hermione said quietly, holding one up for Alaw to see. "That's your favourite right?"

"Hmm," Alaw eyed the dress critically. She was starting to go off the idea of a blue dress for some reason. "I think that would look better on you to be honest," she concluded and Hermione turned the garment around in surprise.

"Do you think so?" she asked.

Whilst she retreated into the changing rooms to try it on, Alaw continued to browse. She came across a scarlet, floor length gown with off the shoulder straps. She held it against herself and grinned thoughtfully. It was silky to the touch and a very reasonable price. Yep, this was the one. After making sure it fit, she gave Hermione the money to pay for it and the girls left the shop feeling pleased at the bargains they'd obtained.

"Why red? I'd have thought you go for green, you know, to show house pride," Hermione said as they made their way to the Three Broomsticks, bags swinging from their arms.

"I don't really know. I like green, but I got it into my head somehow that I wanted to wear red," Alaw shrugged.

It was growing dark by the time they entered the pub and snow had begun to fall again. They saw Neville standing at the bar with their drinks already bought.

"How did you know?" Alaw asked gratefully, taking up the Gillywater and sipping it. "Still no sign of Ron?"

"I think he's in one of the private rooms upstairs with the rest of the team. Something about playing cards with some people from Beauxbatons?"

Hermione tisked and Alaw grinned. She was still under the cloak so to anyone looking their way, it would appear that Neville and Hermione were standing with a gap between them. The door of the pub opened at that moment and a group of people walked in, all clad in hats and scarfs against the cold. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, Barty Crouch and Percy. The latter was pink in the face from the cold and snow had settled in his red hair.

"Afternoon Professors," Madam Rosmerta called. "What can I get you?"

The teachers and Crouch shuffled towards the bar to order their drinks whilst Percy took all their cloaks and hung them by the door. None of them spared a glance for Neville and Hermione.

"Dumbledore is being so unreasonable," Crouch muttered as he accepted his tumbler of fire whisky from Rosmerta. "If he would just consider full time protection!"

"Bartemius, the headmaster said no and that's final!" said McGonagall, fixing the wizard with a steely glare. "Alaw has quite enough to worry about without having a couple of Aurors following her around every hour of the day and night!"

Alaw turned her head in surprise and watched Crouch huff a sigh.

"Well, I suppose it would draw unwanted attention," he conceded bitterly. "But with Black after her, we have to keep a very close eye on things."

"She has a guard outside her door at night and she is being kept inside the grounds, I don't see that any further protection is needed," Flitwick put in.

Percy had joined them to catch this statement and he hovered behind the others.

"Alaw's a sensible girl," he said, as though he were a confidant of hers. "She knows to be vigilant. Oh, thank you Professor!"

He took the Butterbeer offered to him by McGonagall in surprise. Hermione glanced at the gap of air Alaw was occupying and raised an eyebrow curiously. After Percy had taken a polite sip of his drink he said,

"You know, I still don't understand why Black is after Alaw in the first place. I know all about her defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named of course, but she wasn't the only one responsible for his downfall. That was just a fluke after all, pure magical luck. Why didn't Black target Dumbledore? Or the Ministry Officials who imprisoned him in the first place?"

Alaw felt a rush of irritation. Did everyone know about her defeating Voldemort as a baby?! Then she guessed Percy had been briefed about her history when he went to work for the Ministry. Surely certain people, like Mr Crouch, were privy to that information after being so involved in the rounding up of Voldemort's old followers. Crouch drummed his fingers on the bar and frowned as though he was thinking something over.

"Well Weasley, Black has more reason to hate Jones than you think. It may be time for you to be given the whole story, you'll need to know the details anyway if you're to assist me in this case."

Percy looked excited and smug at being trusted thus but Professor McGonagall glanced at Neville and Hermione, apparently just noticing that her Gryffindors were there.

"Perhaps we should speak somewhere more private, Bartemius," she said pointedly.

As the group moved towards the stairs leading to the private rooms Alaw darted after them, weaving her way carefully through the other patrons. This sounded like a conversation she really wanted to hear. Crouch led them into the first spare room off the landing and Alaw slipped through the door before it was closed by Flitwick.

"Now then Weasley. You already know that Black was spying on Dumbledore's resistance order for the Dark Lord," Crouch began as he seated himself in an arm chair by the crackling fire. Alaw secreted herself in a niche beside the chimney so she could see everyone. McGonagall and Flitwick took the sofa and Percy sank into the chair opposite his boss.

"Yes sir, the Order of the Phoenix," Percy confirmed.

"What you don't know is that he was also assigned to protect the Jones family, once Dumbledore knew the Dark Lord was hunting them."

Alaw's mouth half opened in surprise. Well, this was news to her. Percy looked similarly astonished.

"Dumbledore knew before-hand that You-Know-Who was after Alaw?" he asked and Flitwick nodded.

"Albus had received a tip off a few months before Alaw was born that You-Know-Who was on the move. That he was looking for a muggleborn who would be born sometime soon. Of course it is impossible to locate muggleborns before they're born, as they aren't registered in the book of names yet. But Albus somehow found the Jones', who were pregnant at the time, and was able to protect them."

"But, what did he tell them muggle parents?" Percy asked.

"The truth, of course, no hiding something like that," said McGonagall and Crouch shook his head in disapproval. "He explained to Bryn and Megan that magic was real and that they were in terrible danger. I met them a few times, lovely people, terrified of course. It's not an easy thing to find out that there are wizards and witches in the world, and that one of them wants to kill your unborn child."

Alaw's head was reeling with this information. Her mother and father knew that magic was real?! They knew she was a witch! How was that possible? They had never even hinted that they knew. Crouch picked up the tale.

"Dumbledore assigned Black to protect them and, I believe, they became firm friends. The Jones' even asked Black to be godfather to Alaw and he accepted. He stayed with them for all the time Megan Jones was pregnant with the girl. And their house was placed under the Fidelius charm."

"How does that work, sir?"

"An immensely complex spell," Flitwick said. "Made even more so when placed of a muggle dwelling. A secret location is chosen and then the information is hidden within a Secret Keeper. Only he or she can divulge the location, which of course meant a lot trouble for Bryn and Megan who have a rather large extended family. If the Secret Keeper refused to speak, then You-Know-Who could stroll right past the house and never see it."

"The obvious choice for Secret Keeper would have been one of the Jones', but unfortunately, muggles can't be Secret Keepers," said McGonagall regretfully. "So, they chose the wizard they trusted the most, Sirius Black."

"Then, on the very eve of Alaw's birth, Black ran to his master and told him where to find her," said Flitwick sadly. "Imagine, sending that monster after an innocent baby, after the people who had welcomed Black into their home and trusted him implicitly."

There was silence for a while until Percy asked,

"Why did Black wait so long before revealing their location? Surely You-Know-Who could have killed the Jones' before Alaw was born and prevent her from ever coming into the world."

"I don't know, maybe the Dark Lord wanted to kill Alaw Jones herself, not just her mother and father," said Crouch bitterly. "Who knows how his twisted mind worked? Luckily for everyone, Jones had some unexpected protection and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was destroyed. I was one of the first on the scene, his body was burnt almost beyond recognition, but the baby was unscathed, she'd even gone back to sleep as I recall."

"Black had no choice but to run for it," McGonagall said. "But he didn't get far. He was cornered in London by Peter Pettigrew, an old friend of his from Hogwarts. After – after Back had killed Pettigrew the Aurors moved in and arrested him. Black was completely unhinged, he never said a word but laughed his head off the whole time."

She sighed and swirled her drink sadly.

"Anyway, when Black went to prison the Ministry decided it would be best to wipe the Jones' memories of him, and the magical world, altogether. They have no idea that Alaw is a witch or how very close she came to being killed when she was only hours old. I never approved of that decision but there was so much to do after You-Know-Who was destroyed…"

She trailed off and everyone drank deeply, lost in memories. They talked for a little while longer before rising and leaving the room. Alaw stayed where she was, and slid down the wall to sit on the floor, quite astonished at what she had heard.


	13. Chapter 13

**A Muggle-Born in Slytherin hit ten thousand views this week and got thirty followers, that's the most I've ever had! I got a little bit over excited and frightened my housemates. This chapter has needed to be rewritten several times because it just wasn't coming together, but here's a final draft. Hope you all like it!**

 **Chapter 13**

 **Melancholy Lions**

Alaw had a lot to think about on her way back down the Honeyduke's tunnel. She'd almost left the Three Broomsticks without telling Neville and Hermione but she had caught herself at the door and backtracked just to let them know she was heading back. Hermione had tried to ask her what she'd overheard but Alaw refused to speaks about it there. She knew she would have to give them both a full debriefing later. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about this new information. As astonishing as it was, it didn't truly change anything. Her parents weren't hiding anything from her, they had once known about magic but their memories had been wiped clean. The thought of this injustice filled her with rage and she had half a mind to march right up to Dumbledore's office and shout at the headmaster when she clambered out of the One-Eyed Witch. How dare he fuck with their minds like that! How dare he betray them after they had trusted him!

Alaw leant against the wall of the corridor and took a few calming breaths. She obviously wasn't going to scream at the headmaster about any of this, because that would lead to all sorts of awkward questions concerning her illicit trip to Hogsmead. But she was still furious, in fact, she was angrier with Dumbledore and the Ministry than she was with Sirius Black at the moment. Did it really matter that he had been her parent's protector and friend? Did it really matter that he was her godfather? Well, yes, she supposed it did matter in a way, but again it didn't change her situation in the slightest. Alaw pulled off the cloak so she could get a proper breath of air and closed her eyes to think.

She'd have to tell her friends, she owed them that much, but beyond that she would have to keep this a secret. Then she wondered how many other people knew the full story. More people than she thought knew about the circumstances of Voldemort's defeat after all. What if this was also a badly kept secret? Alaw made her way back to her rooms, thinking this over. Perhaps she should quiz Draco, he was after all an excellent source of information on the elite pure-bloods. If Black's full history was common knowledge to them, Draco would definitely know about it. She resolved to corner him at some point and ask.

Hermione and Neville came to Alaw's rooms barely fifteen minutes after she had arrived and they had a confused Ron in toe.

"Al, what's going on? These two said you heard something important about Sirius Black," Ron said. Alaw sighed from the armchair where she was curled up and closed the book she had been read. After putting _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ on the side table she waved at the others to sit down.

"It was Barty Crouch, he was going to tell Percy something big so I followed them upstairs so I could listen in," she began but Ron interrupted.

"Yeah these two said, but how did you get into the village? They said something about map?"

"I'll tell you that bit later, listen to what Crouch said first," Alaw said irritably. She proceeded to repeat everything she had heard. Ron looked horrified.

"That murderous wanker is your godfather?!" he gasped and Alaw shrugged.

"That's what Crouch said, but I don't really understand how that can be. I have a godfather, my uncle Rhodri, so I can't have two."

"That'll be your muggle godfather, wizarding godparents are a little different," Hermione put in. "In the wizarding world, if a person agrees to be a child's godfather, then they aren't just responsible for their spiritual well-being. They're basically taking it upon themselves to protect that child from all harm, and to take care of them if anything happens to the parents. That's why godparents tend to be family members."

Alaw surprised them all by laughing out loud.

"Ha! Well then Sirius Black is doing quite a shitty job of it, isn't he?"

"Al, this is serious!" Ron snapped and Alaw frowned at him.

"Why? No, seriously, what difference does it make? He's nothing to me, my parents don't even remember him, and he's still trying to bump me off. So what if he betrayed our side? We knew that already it's common knowledge. Look, I think we should just carry on as if we didn't hear about this. It's no big deal."

Ron and Neville couldn't believe their ears but when they protested Hermione told them both to drop it. She seemed to understand that Alaw didn't want to talk about it. The betrayal didn't bother Alaw, not really, she had known already that Black was evil. No, what really got her was the fact that, once again, Dumbledore had neglected to tell her. Why did he keep treating her like a child? It was infuriating! Did he think she couldn't be trusted? Or that she was too stupid to understand? Sometimes Alaw would have liked nothing better than to give him a proper telling off in front of his entire faculty.

Luckily, that evening Bill Weasley turned up and lifted all their spirits. He was attending on behalf of Gringotts in order to schmooze with the foreign officials and make a good impression. Alaw had stationed herself next to Bill at dinner and had a long and enjoyable conversation concerning the revolution in protective charms during the 12th dynasty. It was enough to help take her mind off the less pleasant aspects of the day.

OoOoO

Having resolved to forget about the conversation she'd overheard, Alaw turned her attention to a more enjoyable, yet still problematic, situation. The Yule Ball was just days away and though she had already made her opinion on partners clear, she found herself rehearsing her request to Bill. She liked Ron's eldest brother very much, he was handsome and interesting, and she had convinced herself that he might also be interested in her. But how to ask him? It was too much to hope that he would ask her to the Ball so she would have to take the initiative. But even though they spent much of the following day in each other's company, and Alaw opened her mouth several times to ask, words simply failed her.

Ron was also having stressing himself out. He was still partnerless and unlike the others this was a serious problem for him as he would be opening the ball. Not that he hadn't had offers, several girls had expressed an interest in dancing with a member of the school team, but Ron had seemed oblivious to their heavy hints. Alaw suspected he wanted to ask someone specific and on so, it seemed, did Neville.

"Ok, listen Nev," Ron said on Sunday afternoon in the Gryffindor Common Room. His tone suggested they were planning to storm Gringotts. "You have someone you want to ask, and I have someone I want to ask, so let's just grit our teeth and do it!"

Alaw glanced at the pair of them over the top of her book. Neville was looking pained and Ron determined.

"Uh, excuse me? Where's my rousing speech of encouragement?" she asked and the boys looked at her in surprise.

"What, you want to ask someone? But you're a girl!" Ron said in surprise and Alaw slowly lowered the book to fix him with a steely glare.

"And?" she asked. Her tone made it quite clear that this was a challenge and Ron was wise enough not to answer it.

"Ok, ok, we all need partners. So by this time tomorrow we'll all have asked someone, agreed?"

Alaw and Neville nodded and Alaw felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. She told herself there was no need to be nervous, she was sure Bill liked her in return, he just needed a little encouragement. So the following day Alaw tried to track Bill down. He had mentioned that he would be researching something for work so the first place Alaw looked was in the library. But wasn't there, and Madam Pince said she hadn't seen him at all. Disappointed and confused, Alaw left the library and decided to look in the Gryffindor Common Room. Perhaps Bill had taken some material up there to work. Alaw was just taking a shortcut down the History of Magic corridor when a door opened and she walked straight into Bill who had an armful of textbooks.

"Oh, sorry about that," said Bill in surprise.

"No I'm sorry! That's was really stupid," Alaw said a little breathlessly, a blush rising in her cheeks. "Um, what are these?"

"Just some old notes of Binns'," Bill explained and he showed her the fading cover of one of the books. " _Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt_ , fascinating read. I needed it to check on a reference. Are you ok? You seem a bit flustered."

"Uh, yes, um, I'm fine," Alaw stuttered. She was making a spectacular tit of herself and, remembering Ron's words from the previous day, she drew herself up determinedly. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something. I was just wondering if you'd like to go to the Ball with me."

The moment the words were out of her mouth she wanted to snatch them back. They sounded all wrong, so juvenile. Bill's eyebrows rose in surprise and then his whole face became a picture of awkward embarrassment.

"Oh, Alaw, I'm so sorry, but I've sort of already asked Flur Delacour," he said apologetically. Alaw felt her heart sink to the region of her stomach.

"Oh, right," she said hollowly.

"I'm really sorry," Bill said again, clearly very uncomfortable. "Will you be alright?"

"What? Of course! I – it doesn't matter. It was just an idea."

Alaw forced herself to smile and the action was painful. The pair of them stood in awkward silence for a few more moments before Bill made some excuse and they were both able to escape. Alaw didn't carry on going to Gryffindor Tower, instead she let her feet take her automatically down to the Entrance Hall and out into the grounds. The whole way she felt her eyes stinging painfully and her heart still hadn't risen back to its proper place. The hole it left behind was throbbing. Of course Bill already had a partner, of course he did! Why had she been so stupid?! Why had she asked him in the first place?! Would he have said yes even if he had been free?

OoOoO

Hagrid's hut was warm and mercifully quiet. Hagrid himself was out, probably in the forest attending to his game-keeping duties, but he had told Alaw months ago to just let herself in whenever she liked using the key under the welcome mat. Alaw lay on her stomach on the sofa, staring dully into the crackling fire in front of which Snuffles was dozing. She hadn't moved from this position in over half an hour. Emrys came over to her and put his head into her limp hand, whining.

'Mother, is there danger near?' he asked plaintively and Alaw sighed heavily.

"No Ems, no danger, I'm just sad."

'Sad,' Emrys repeated, trying out the new word. It must have been a concept known to dragons because it had a Parseltongue word, but Emrys was too young to understand it. There came a scraping, crunching sound from outside and Alaw glanced sharply at Emrys. The dragon yawned and stretched luxuriously.

'Red-Haired Man,' he said lazily. A moment later there was a knock at the door and Alaw hauled herself unwillingly to her feet.

"You looked fucking awful," she said when she opened the door to reveal Ron standing on the porch. He looked as miserable as she felt and he stepped past her into the cabin with a groan.

"Why?!" he moaned, dropping into an armchair and burying his head in his hands. "Why did I do it?"

"Got turned down too did you?" asked Alaw bitterly, flopping back onto the sofa.

Emrys hopped up and curled in her lap. Well, his front half lay on her, but his hindquarters, tail and wings were sprawled over the rest of the sofa. He was now about as big as a Labrador so the days of carrying him around on her shoulders were gone. Neville came into the cabin after Ron and closed the door on the bitter cold. He looked like he was trying hard not to smile.

"He just asked Flur Delacour to the Ball," Neville explained and Alaw opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"You what?" she cried. "Ron, you don't ask out a girl who's just dumped her boyfriend, that's very bad form!"

"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron whined. "I was in the entrance hall and she was talking to that bloke Diggory from Hufflepuff and it just sort of slipped out."

"Actually, he sort of screamed at her, it was a bit frightening," Neville put in, perching himself on the arm of the sofa beside Alaw. Whilst Ron grabbed and cushion and hid his face in it, Alaw rolled her head back so she could look up at Neville.

"What about you? Any luck?"

"Well, yes and no," Neville said mysteriously. Alaw frowned at him and after a pause he said, "I asked Hermione if she wanted to go with me."

Ron's head snapped up and he stared at Neville, dumbfounded. Alaw merely raised an eyebrow. Seeing the look on Ron's face Neville hurried to clarify.

"Just as friends you know! I thought it'd be a laugh if we went and had a good time. But she said she was already going with someone. Then Ginny came up to me and asked if I'd like to go with her instead, I think it was only out of pity though."

Whilst Ron was busy processing the fact that his baby sister was asking people to Balls, Alaw felt her curiosity spike. Hermione hadn't mentioned she was going to with anyone, so this must have been a fairly recent development. Barely ten minutes later, when Neville had gone outside to look for Hagrid, Hermione herself arrived wrapped in an enormous woollen scarf and with flecks of snow in her hair.

"So this is where you've all been hiding," she sighed, shaking out her fingers to battle the cold. "I was wondering why you weren't in the common room. So how did it go with Bill?"

Alaw sank low in her chair and glowered at the coffee table.

"Rubbish," she muttered. "He's already going with Flur Delacour, who was asked by Ron would you believe."

"Really?" asked Hermione with a grin spreading on her face. "So, not so cocky now, are you Ron? I don't know why you would want to go with that cow anyway."

But Ron wasn't paying any attention to what she said, he had just sat up straight in his chair in excitement.

"Neville was right, you're a girl Hermione, why don't you go with me to the Ball?"

This was an incredibly tactless way to phrase the question and Alaw and Hermione looked at Ron in disgust.

"As difficult as you make it to refuse, Ron, I'm already going with someone," Hermione sniffed. Far from looking put out, Ron snorted.

"No you're not, you just said that so you wouldn't have to go with Neville. So go on, I just need a partner for the first dance."

"I did not make it up!" Hermione cried hotly. Emrys raised his head from Alaw's lap in alarm at her raised tones and Alaw put a hand on his neck to calm him. "I can't believe you think I would do something like that to Neville, we're not all horrible like you!"

"Well who are you going with then?" Ron challenged.

"I'm not telling you, you'll just make fun of me."

"I knew it, you're just making it up. Why do you have to be so bloody proud?"

Alaw closed her eyes and blew out a tiny breath. Hermione, her face a picture of fury, strode to the door.

"Come on Emrys, let's go for a walk," she snapped and Alaw quietly repeated her words in Parseltongue. Emrys hopped eagerly from the sofa and scampered after Hermione into the snow. Ron stared at her in confusion before rounding on Alaw.

"Have you heard anything about this?" he asked and Alaw shook her head.

"Nope, news to me."

There was silence in the cabin for a while whilst Ron brooded. Snuffles stirred from his repose in front of the fire and turned to gaze at Alaw. She could have sworn he was smiling, even though that was ridiculous. After grumbling under his breath for while Ron sighed.

"Will you do the first dance with me? Please?" he asked and Alaw considered him for a moment.

"Fine, but only if you promise to make up with Hermione."

OoOoO

Alaw had the next few days to get over her disappointment, and though it still hurt when she saw Bill, or thought about him for that matter, she forced herself into a more Christmassy mood. It wasn't difficult seeing how everyone else was bubbling over with excitement and the castle was even more beautiful than it had been last year. The suit of armour at the end of Alaw's corridor sang God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen every time she walked past it, except it only knew the first verse so after a few days she started to get sick of it. The banisters on the marble staircase had been decorated with holly and icy and little golden owls hooted in the eves. Alaw had a Christmas tree of her own which she had bewitched to twinkle and on Christmas Eve she and Hermione spent a pleasant evening basking in its glow and eating mince pies.

"You know," said Alaw thoughtfully, studying her tree, "Next year I might try making everlasting icicles, it can't be that hard. Maybe I can persuade Professor Flitwick to teach us."

Ron and Neville weren't with them, mainly because Ron and Hermione still weren't talking to each other. Whenever they were in the same room, Ron tried to pester Hermione into telling him who she was going to the Ball with, which she flatly refused to do. And Neville had taken to playing exploding snap with Ginny in the evenings and rumours were flying. He'd already been congratulated by half the boys in the year for pulling the best-looking girl in the castle, something with thoroughly irritated Ron. No doubt he would be sitting close to the pair to make sure no funny business occurred.

As much as Alaw liked Ginny for her funny remarks and outgoing attitude, she wasn't sure that was a romance that would last beyond Christmas. She was quite convinced that Hermione and Neville were much better suited, but that ship had unfortunately sailed for the time being.

"So," Alaw asked in a business-like tone as she stirred cream into her hot chocolate. "Are you going to tell me who you're going with tomorrow?"

Her friend blushed and smiled down into her own mug.

"Yes I am, but don't tell Ron. It's Viktor Krum."

"You're joking!" Alaw gasped, setting her drink aside in case she spilt it in her excitement. She twisted her legs underneath her on the sofa and stared avidly at Hermione. "How the hell did that happen?! I've never heard him string a sentence together, and besides I thought you hated him!"

"I don't hate him," Hermione corrected her. "Just his little fan club, and that's not his fault. Apparently he's been wanting to talk to me for ages but there were always people around. So the other day he cornered me coming out of the library and asked me if I'd like to go to the Ball with him."

"Wow," said Alaw, blinking a few times. "Viktor Krum eh? You'd better watch out for curses because there's going to be some very disappointed fans out there. So what's he like really?"

Hermione described her very brief conversation with the Quidditch star and Alaw listened with a slight frown and her chin resting on her first. This was a very unexpected turn of events and it certainly threw a spanner in the works for her plan to get Neville and Hermione together. But then again, it was only a date, Hermione and Krum might find each other dull company. Hermione didn't stay much longer as it was getting late and no doubt there would be much to do the following day. She said goodnight shortly before midnight and when Alaw had closed the door behind her, she checked her watch. It was just a few minutes to go until Christmas Day so she crossed to the windowsill where she had set up five candles. She'd robbed them from the Great Hall at the beginning of December and charmed three of them purple, one of them pink, and left the final one white. The first four were already lit and Alaw picked up the box of matches lying beside them ready to light last. She didn't like to use magic to do this, it felt like something she ought to do manually. She also didn't like to do it in front of her friends because it was a private affair.

After carefully lighting the wick of the white candle, Alaw shook out the match, put the box aside and knelt down with her hands clasped before her. She'd been somewhat lazy in her faith since coming to Hogwarts, she couldn't go to church whilst she was here and prayer had fallen little by the wayside. But she made an extra effort for Christmas and Easter and after mumbling a quick prayer she got back to her feet and went to bed.

OoOoO

Alaw awoke the next morning to find that the stocking at the foot of her bed had been filled magically whilst she slept and was now bulging with goodies. She crawled towards it eagerly and shook out the contents onto the blanket. There was the usual tangerine and pound coin, as well as sweets, a new pair of socks and matching gloves. They all had muggle labels so they had probably been sent by her mother and father in the muggle post then diverted to Hogwarts by wizards working there. Alaw flipped a CD over and ran her eye down the playlist, lamenting the fact that she couldn't play it until she got home tomorrow.

As she was peeling the plastic film off a candy cane Alaw heard a knock on her door. She stuck the cane in her mouth and crossed the living room to answer it, registering the pile of presents which had appeared under her tree.

"Merry Christmas," said Ron promptly when she opened the door. Hermione, Neville and all the Weasleys were with him, and they were also in their pyjamas and had armfuls of presents.

"An a 'appy New Ear," Alaw replied awkwardly around the candy cane. She stood aside to let them all in, waving cheerfully to the Law Enforcement wizard who was still dutifully outside her door.

"Thought we'd open our stuff in here," Ron explained, dumping his parcels on top of Alaw's. "Common Room's packed."

Hermione has brought an enormous stack of toast so they spent an enjoyable morning steamrolling through the wrapping paper. Ron and Hermione seemed to have put their fight on hold for the time being in the spirit of the season. Mrs Weasley had sent them all hand-knitted jumpers and Alaw pulled her green and gold one over her pyjama top. Her presents from home were fairly decent, but once again the DVDs would be useless at Hogwarts. But there were also books, a t-shirt with a Tolkien slogan on it and tickets to see one of her favourite bands in concert the following week. After exclaiming excitedly over these she disappeared into her bedroom and came back baring a large wicker basket.

"What's this then?" Hermione asked in surprise as Alaw handed it to her, grinning broadly.

"Open it, go on open it!" she urged and Hermione looked down at the basket curiously. Then she froze as a muffled meowing came from within. She slowly undid the straps and then squealed in delight when a furry ginger cat poked its head out.

"Oh my gosh! Al, this is brilliant! Oh isn't he sweet?!" she cooed, taking the cat out of the basket and cuddling it to her chest.

"That has got to be the ugliest cat I've ever seen," Ron said flatly and Hermione scowled at him.

"We saw him in Hogsmead remember? The lady in the shop said his name was Crookshanks," Alaw explained and Hermione beamed at her. The cat seemed quite content to be cuddled and stroked by the girls but its gaze soon locked on to Ron who put a hand over his pyjama pocket protectively.

"Um, maybe I'd better but Scabbers in the dormitory," he said hastily and he hopped through the wrapping paper and boxes towards the door.

Whilst the others continued with their presents, Alaw rooted around under the tree. It seemed all her gifts from home had been opened but there were a few clearly magical parcels left. She picked up a square present wrapped neatly in expensive looking emerald paper and tied up with a silver bow. After reading the label on it Alaw's eyebrows shot up.

'To Alaw, Merry Christmas, from Draco.'

Intrigued, Alaw quietly opened the parcel to reveal a book bound in black leather with beautiful swirling motifs etched into the cover. The title, _A Bargain with Death_ , was embossed in silver. The blurb inside the cover revealed that it had only been published that month and the author had even signed the title page in loopy handwriting.

"Oh I've been wanting to read that," said Hermione, leaning over to peer at the book. "It's an adaptation of the Tale of the Three Brothers, you know that fairy tale, and it's supposed to be brilliant. Who sent it?"

"Um, Draco," Alaw muttered, her cheeks reddening a little. Hermione gave her a very meaningful smirk and Alaw coughed in embarrassment, quickly putting the book out of sight.

"Anyway, uh, anything else?" she asked loudly to stop Hermione commenting. The twins exchanged smiles and brought out a pile of bright purple boxes stamped with orange writing.

"You're all getting the same thing from us, so you might as well open them at the same time," said Fred as George tossed a box to each of them. The words on the side read Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. Inside were half a dozen compartments, like in a sweet box, each containing something different. Alaw picked up a bright green yo-yo and peered at it intently.

"You, dear friends and relatives, are the first people to see our official products!" George said proudly. "These are the sample boxes, we'll start selling after the holidays."

"This is brilliant!" said Ginny, putting on a witch's hat which promptly caused her whole head to vanish. "Mum is going to kill you!"

"This is a serious business venture!" said George indignantly. "We want to save up some gold to set up a shop after we finish school."

They had some fun playing with the products for the rest of the morning and then Alaw, Ron, Hermione and Neville waved goodbye to the other Weasleys before heading down to Hagrid's for lunch. Though the ball wasn't for several hours, Alaw was already starting to get excited and her mind was focused on the dress hanging in her wardrobe.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Notes - Had a lot of fun writing this chapter cause I had the two songs featuring later on playing in the background as I wrote so I could get all the timings right. Hope you enjoy my choices.**

 **Chapter 14**

 **The Yule Ball**

Alaw stared at herself in the bathroom mirror with a highly vexed expression. She'd been here for half an hour trying to do something to her mane of hair. Unlike Hermione's, it wasn't curly, it was simply big, and the drab colour of mouse fur. She'd taken Hermione's advice and used liberal amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Care Potion (which cost a seizure inducing amount for a single bottle) but she still couldn't do anything with it.

"Ginny!" she whined in defeat. Ron's sister came into the bathroom and grinned at Alaw's pout.

"Oh dear, having trouble?" she asked. "I'm nearly finished with Hermione so you can come in and sit down in a minute."

Ginny had been kind enough to turn her skills with beauty to good use. When Alaw followed her into the living room she saw Hermione sitting on a stool before a giant mirror which they had propped against the wall. Her hair had been wound up into an elegant knot which glittered with decorative pins.

"Wow, Hermione you look great!" said Alaw, grinning.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably on the stool.

"It's a shame it takes so long," she lamented. "I could never do this on a regular basis."

When Ginny pronounced her finished, Alaw plopped down on the stool in her place.

"So," said Ginny, looking at her in the mirror. "How would you like it?"

"I was thinking something like a French plait."

"Oh Alaw!" Ginny groaned. "You always put your hair up in a ponytail. Why not let it down for a change? I could curl it a bit."

Alaw squirmed. She hated having her hair down because she always ended up looking like Cousin Itt. But Ginny made begging puppy eyes and Alaw relented. As Ginny got to work she ran her fingers through the thick layers.

"It's a shame you never do anything with it," she sighed. "I know some girls who would kill for hair like this!"

Alaw had been told the same thing dozens of times over the years but the truth was, she had neither the patience nor the skill to do anything. Plus she really didn't care too much about her appearance. Tonight would be the first time she'd worn make-up since her birthday the previous spring. It took a further forty minutes for Ginny to be satisfied and when she let Alaw go, her hair fell in gentle waves about her shoulders and somehow seemed blonder than usual.

"There, that should last the evening. Now go and put your dress on, it starts at eight!"

Alaw disappeared back into the bedroom to slip into the scarlet ball gown. When the straps were done up Alaw felt quite an alien sensation. She felt elegant, pretty even. Delicate flat shoes and a gold neckless completed the outfit. This neckless was her prize possession, a tiny Celtic knot of Welsh gold which had been her confirmation present from her grandfather, who'd passed away three years ago.

"Hermione! You ready to go?"

Hermione emerged from the bathroom, dressed in floaty silks of periwinkle blue. She looked nothing short of stunning.

"Yes, Viktor said he'd meet me in the Entrance Hall."

Alaw had made similar plans with Ron so the three girls walked carefully down the corridor towards the grand staircase.

"Have a nice evening ladies," called Bob, the Law Enforcement Squad guard, still dutifully perched on his chair beside the door.

The Entrance Hall was brimming with students and teachers alike, not to mention press. Hermione disappeared fairly quickly to hunt down her date whilst Alaw and Ginny made their way over to Ron and Neville who were standing together. Neville was looking quite handsome in dark blue robes and he offered his arm to Ginny like a proper gentleman. Ron on the other hand was looking flustered and grumpy. His maroon robes had frayed cuffs and smelt strongly of must. Alaw frowned at him.

"Ron, what have you been doing?" she asked exasperatedly, plucking her few stray threads from his collar.

"Mum sent them to me, they were covered in lace!" he hissed irritably. "Where's Hermione anyway?"

"Over there somewhere," said Alaw vaguely and she took out her wand to try and repair some of the damage Ron had done.

After a few careful severing charms she managed to tidy him up and make him a mite more presentable. A camera woman floated by a couple of times and Alaw had to elbow Ron to remind him to smile. After a few minutes Professor McGonagall sought them out.

"Weasley, if you and Miss Jones would like to step over there. The Teams will walk in after everybody else is seated in the Hall."

Ron slouched his way over the far wall where the rest of the Hogwarts team were waiting with their partners. Alaw hurried along in his wake, feeling ever so slightly hurt that he hadn't bothered to comment on her appearance. She was mortified to pass Bill and Flur Delacour who were deep in conversation and apparently didn't notice her. Ron leant against the wall with his arms crossed after he and Alaw had positioned themselves behind George and Lydia Fawcett, his fellow Beater who was looking more feminine than usual in an elegant pink dress.

The Entrance Hall gradually emptied as people found their friends and dates and moved into the next room. A couple of reporters stayed behind and the ever present click of cameras was starting to get on everyone's nerves. Now that the crowd had thinned Alaw could see through the open front doors into the grounds. The drive and front lawn had been transformed into a grotto of glowing bushes and gurgling fountains. At precisely eight o clock Professor McGonagall returned and motioned for the teams to enter the Great Hall. The Hogwarts team lead the way and Alaw forcibly hooked her arm through Ron's.

The Great Hall looked simply magnificent, like a glittering ice palace. Enchanted snow fell from the ceiling but dissipated before it reached the heads of the crowd who were all seated at the hundred round tables which had replaced the four long house ones. The teams made their way to a set of empty tables at the head of the hall on the raised platform the teachers normally presided from. Once they had taken their seats a string quartet struck up a tune to serenade them as they ate.

"Uh, so what do we do?" Alaw muttered, picking up the elegant little menu in front of her and looking around uncertainly. The Hogwarts team table was right next to the largest one in the room which had the headmasters and mistresses seated around it, as well as the top ministry officials. She saw Cornelius Fudge sitting on Dumbledore's right and shot him a resentful look just for the hell of it. She was within earshot of the headmaster who was demonstrating to his guests how the ordering system worked. Alaw watched him carefully then copied.

"Um, Turkey, please," she said to her plate.

A full Christmas dinner appeared on it and she picked up her cutlery eagerly. The information filtered its way down through the tables until everyone was eating, drinking champagne and chattering. Alaw had a clear view of Flur and Bill sitting at a table down in the lower hall and she made an effort not to look their way, concentrating on her roast parsnips. She tried to engage Ron in conversation but he was unresponsive.

"Oi, earth to Ron, where's your brain?" she asked, nudging him. He didn't look at her and Alaw followed his gaze to the Durmstrang table where Viktor Krum was talking animatedly to Hermione. Alaw winced.

"Oh, yeah. I was wondering where she'd got to," said Alaw lamely. Ron finally turned to look at her.

"Did you know she was coming with him?" he demanded and Alaw shrugged.

"Yes actually. What's the big deal?"

Ron didn't answer, but proceeded to attack his sprouts and chew them forcefully. Well, that was just peachy. With conversation a little thin on the ground at her own table, Alaw turned her head slightly to eavesdrop on what the head teachers were talking about. To her surprise she saw Hagrid was there, sitting beside Madam Maxime and talking quietly to her in a secretive, intimate way. Karkaroff was speaking to Professor Dumbledore and Agilbert Fontaine, the American headmaster.

"Of course, Hogwarts put up a good show in the first match, considering they have no regular school team."

Dumbledore took this backhanded compliment in his stride and responded pleasantly,

"Durmstrang will certainly give us a good show I trust, from the amount of time they've been spending training."

"Oh yes they are well trained," said Karkaroff confidently. "We take Quidditch very seriously at Durmstrang you see. Always we are training."

"With all that training, it's a wonder you have time left over for lessons," said Professor Fontaine witheringly.

Alaw couldn't help an appreciative chuckle escaping her and Dumbledore's eyes flitted to her. He smiled faintly before offering a cracker to the headmistress of Castelobruxo. When dinner was over the remnants of pudding still on people's plates vanished and the orchestra went quiet. Professor Dumbledore got to his feet and all heads turned to him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time for the ball to begin. If you would all be so kind as to stand up."

There was much scraping as people pushed out their chairs and complied. Dumbledore waved his wand in a wide sweep and the tables rose up to float towards the edge of the room, leaving the middle clear for dancing.

"And now can you all give a warm round of applause for the Hogwarts school team!"

Alaw felt suddenly nervous as she grabbed Ron and pulling him along after the rest of the team. She still hadn't mastered dancing and she suspected he wasn't much better. The good thing was she didn't think _anyone_ would be looking at them. The couples took up position and the band struck up a waltz. As Alaw had suspected, Ron was abysmal and kept standing on her feet. He wouldn't have been so bad if he'd been paying proper attention but he was too busy flicking his head from side to side trying to keep Hermione and Krum in his sights. Krum had led Hermione onto the dancefloor not long after the song began and more couples joined in, especially after Professor Dumbledore led Professor McGonagall out. Alaw and Ron rotated past Hagrid who was glancing constantly at Madam Maxime.

"Get in there lad!" Alaw hissed at him, grinning and nodding towards the Frenchwoman. After they had passed, Alaw saw Hagrid approach Madam Maxime, his whole face beetroot red.

When the song ended, Ron let go of Alaw very quickly and the two stepped out of each other's personal space.

"Well, that was ok," Alaw said kindly but Ron wasn't listening.

"Come on, I'm going to grab a drink," he said, nodding towards a table near the doors which featured a make shift bar, complete with champagne fountain.

"Oh but I like these guys!" Alaw said disappointedly. The Weird Sisters had just trooped onto the stage to replace the orchestra. Ron grunted and strode away and Alaw scowled after him. A guitar began to play and the lead singer began to warm up the crowd.

"Al!" called Hermione and Alaw made her way over to her and Viktor.

She wasn't going to let Ron's foul mood ruin the night for her. She danced a couple of fast paced, exciting songs with Hermione and Viktor but Alaw soon began to feel like a third wheel. They were clearly too wrapped up in each other to accommodate a third party so Alaw tactfully excused herself after _This is the Night_ and went in search of her date. But, as was common with large parties, she got side tracked as she ran into people she knew. The Twins drew her into a dance as did Neville when she got away from them. It was a good hour before she remembered Ron and forced herself to look for him properly.

After stopping by the bar to buy a Gillywater she tracked him down on one of the tables lining the hall. He was nursing a fire whisky and sulking.

"Hey, where have you been?" Alaw asked, dropping into the chair beside him and massaging her feet. Ron looked at her sourly over his glass.

"I've been here haven't I? Been off having a good time?"

His tone was accusatory but Alaw raised an eyebrow coolly.

"I have actually," she said. "What's wrong with you tonight? You're not still pissed off you couldn't get Flur Delacur are you? Get over it Ron, you don't see me moping about after Bill do you?"

Ron muttered something indecernable and Alaw rolled her eyes. Just then a wizard in purple uniform robes came over to them with a stay of small shot glasses in his hand.

"Good evening folks, how you doing?" he asked in an accent similar to Candice's. "How about some Gigglewater to chase the blues away?"

"Gigglewater?" Alaw asked curiously.

"State speciality," the wizard grinned. "Free samples for you Brits."

Never one to pass up free food, Alaw picked up a glass and threw it down in one as the wizard instructed. It tasted just like any other alcohol accept that after a second or two, something rose up her throat and erupted from her mouth as a hysterical giggle.

"That stuff's fun!" Alaw laughed. "Ron, try some!"

But not even plying him with Gigglewater could lift Ron's spirits. Alaw was getting tired of trying to cheer him up and she stretched out her legs boredly, nearly tripping up one of the Weird Sisters on his way to the bar.

"Oh sorry mate," she said.

"No problem. Having a good time?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, reminds me of these parties we used to have in sixthform, accept with fancier clothes," Alaw grinned. The band member perked up.

"Oh, you're muggleborn too eh? Donaghan Tremlett, well Donny, bass player."

He extended his hand and Alaw shook it.

"Alaw Jones. So if you're muggleborn, do you ever play muggle songs?"

"Sometimes, but the other boys just don't get muggle music. Well except Kirley, he's lead guitar and he's muggleborn and all."

"Uch, tell me about!" Alaw sighed, rolling her eyes and jerking a thumb at Ron. "I tried telling this lot about the joy of a primary school disco but they wouldn't hear of it! Even tried teaching them the Macarena but they were rubbish."

Alaw and Donny chatted a little longer about fond childhood memories but he was soon called away by his fellow band members. Ron shot her scathing look.

"You going to ditch me to flirt with someone and all then?" he asked and Alaw sighed heavily and glared at him.

"For god's sake Ron, get your head out of your own arse for a minute. This is supposed to be a party!"

At that moment Hermione dropped into an empty seat. She was slightly out of breath and her face was pink from dancing.

"So this is where you two are hiding. Viktor's gone to get drinks if you'd like to join us?"

Before Alaw could open her mouth Ron snapped,

"No! We would not want to join you and Vicky!"

Hermione looked startled and Alaw rested her elbow on the arm her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. Oh _great._

"What's wrong with you?" asked Hermione, bewildered. Ron's ears were turning red and he looked furious.

"He's from Durmstrang! He competing against me, against Hogwarts! You basically just stabbed me in the back!"

 _Oh sweet Jesus give me strength_ , Alaw thought. Hermione stared at Ron for a moment before saying,

"That's is the most ridiculous thing you've ever said. How dare you tell me who I can and can't go out with. The whole point of this stupid tournament is to make friends with foreign wizards!"

She got up and stalked away. Ron glared after her then leant across the mutter to Alaw,

"I think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind."

"Grow up Ron," Alaw sighed and she got up too.

After winding her way between the clumps of students and teachers, Alaw found Hermione on the edge of the dance floor trying to calm herself.

"Don't listen to Ron mate, he's just being a twat tonight. I think he's pissed off he couldn't get anyone to come with him."

"He did get someone to come with him, he has you!" said Hermione angrily. "And he's been ignoring you all evening!"

They spent a couple of minutes abusing Ron and afterwards Hermione had cheered up a little. Alaw was really hoping she wouldn't have to rescue _everyone's_ evening. Viktor found them not long after with Butterbeer for himself and Hermione and Alaw took the opportunity to take the measure of him and decide if he was good enough to step out with her best friend. However Viktor was fairly quiet and only answered her questions in short sentences. She decided to reserve judgement for now, after all, English wasn't his first language, or even his second probably, and maybe he was shy.

"Ok ladies, it's time for you find your gentlemen cause this is going out to all the lovers out there, hold them close and keep them warm." said the lead singer of the band into his magical mike.

Viktor led Hermione towards the stage and Alaw found herself alone in a circle of couples. The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, romantic song and Alaw decided to make herself scarce, telling herself she wasn't that disappointed not to have a partner.

"Jones? Where's Weasley?"

Alaw looked around in surprise and found herself standing in front of Draco. He was alone, there was no sign of his slimy friends.

"Oh hey, Ron? He's drinking himself into a stupor. What about Pansy?"

"She's gone to bed, she was tired. Do you want to dance?"

Alaw squinted at Draco suspiciously, waiting for the sarcastic punchline. But his face was dead serious and he held out a hand like a gentleman.

"In the past you've freaked out if I so much as touch you," Alaw said doubtfully. "And now you want to dance?!"

"Maybe I've decided to grow up. Besides I like this song and the whole night doesn't have to be ruined just because our partners have abandoned us."

"Well, ok, but I warn you I'm a rubbish dancer."

She allowed him to put one hand on her waist and she grasped his other hand. They began to waltz, or as close to a waltz as she could manage. A smile was playing about Draco's lips and after a while he leant in and whispered with mock seriousness,

"When you said you were rubbish, were you putting it lightly?"

"Oh shut up!" she sniggered. "I'm still learning ok? Give me a few more lessons and I'll be phenomenal."

"Oh yes yes I'm sure," Draco agreed, barely supressing a smirk. "It helps if you don't stand two feet away from your partner."

Alaw gave him an exasperated look and stepped closer. Draco was a much better dancer than Ron and he did a proper job of guiding her through the steps. She even began to enjoy herself.

' _Now belieeeeve, that magic woooorks, don't be afraaaid, afraid of being huuuuurt_ ,' the lead singer crooned. _This is quite nice_ , Alaw thought to herself with some surprise, _neither of us has burst into flames yet anyway_.

"You look nice tonight," said Draco unexpectedly and Alaw raised an eyebrow at him.

"Thanks, so do you."

He did as it happened. He was wearing black robes with a high collar, a little boring but very smart looking.

"I thought you said you liked blue," Draco observed.

"I do, but I like red too."

Alaw had just remembered that red was Draco's favourite colour and the choice of her dress suddenly made a little more sense. She had wondered who had put the idea of red in her head. When the song ended Draco gave a joking half bow and Alaw attempted an ironic curtsy.

"Etiquette lessons Jones, just, think about it," Draco smirked.

"And what did your etiquette lessons say about calling a lady by her first name when she's told a thousand times to do so?" Alaw quipped. At that moment Donny Tremlett stepped up to the mike with his bass guitar slung across his body.

"Now then folks, we've been wondering how to welcome our foreign guests to this country and a request song from one of our muggleborns solved the problem for us. So this is for you, Alaw Jones, show them the steps."

Draco looked at Alaw in surprise and she stared up at the stage in confusion.

"But, I didn't request a song!" she muttered. The band were putting down their instruments as the crowd watched in excited curiosity. Donny took out his wand and pointed it first at his head, and then at the instruments. A silvery strand of memory flicked from the tip of the wand and snaked its way into the guitar. It rose up and began to play all by itself and within a few notes every muggle-born in the room was screaming in delight.

"Oh you are fucking kidding me! Macarena?!" Alaw laughed joyfully.

"Um, what is it?" asked Draco, obviously thrown by the scale of the excitement in the vicinity.

"Only the most fun song ever! Oh my god Draco, I have to teach you the dance. Muggle-borns! Assemble!"

She shouted this last to the crowd and whilst the wizard-born stood around looking confused, those who knew the dance rushed to the middle of the dance floor and lined up. Draco tried to slip away but Alaw seized his arm and dragged him back.

"Come on! You're down the rabbit hole now, we already danced together!"

"That was to a wizard song, this is a muggle song!" he protested, trying to tug his way free.

"Oh come on, don't be a pussy. Come on it's really easy and fun. Watch us."

Draco stood back cautiously but he didn't flee as the muggle-borns ran through the moves. Some of the braver wizard-born began to join in, completely missing the timing on the moves but having a whale of a time.

"Come on Draco, I dare you!" Alaw called.

She didn't really expect Draco to do it, but it would seem he had had more to drink than she thought. He took a deep breath and drew himself up before inserting himself into the line next to Alaw and sticking out his arms.

"This is mad!" he shouted.

"I know right? Isn't it great?!" Alaw replied. "Wait wait you're going too fast. Hand hand, head head, hip hip, there you go. Jump!"

"I think you just made yourself very unpopular with the Ministry!" Draco shouted, pointing towards the edge of the dance floor.

Alaw looked over and saw Cornelius Fudge and Barty Crouch staring at them with something close to horror. Meanwhile a lot of the foreign wizards were clapping and laughing, and Professor Fontaine had even joined in. Professor Dumbledore was beaming in delight.

"Thank you Hogwarts! Those were some brave efforts. Now we'll be right back with more of our own classics in just a few minutes. So go get yourselves a drink in the meantime."

Alaw and Draco, exhausted from the exertion, staggered together off the dance floor.

"That was the stupidest thing I've ever done!" Draco told her. He looked delighted with himself. Alaw threw her arms around him and hugged tightly.

"I'm proud of you mate, I knew you could be fun if you really tried. And see, I told you I could dance! Next I'll teach you the Cha Cha Slide and the YMCA."

"Before you do, I think you're about to be arrested," Draco warned, swizzling her around so she could face the oncoming wave of fury that was Cornelius Fudge.

"So," the Minister spat when he was within scolding distance. "I should have known. Well done Jones, you've managed to completely humiliate the Ministry and your school in front of the whole world. I hope you're happy."

"I am actually," said Alaw coolly. "Give me a call when you decide to remove that stick from up your arse."

Behind her, Draco did his best to hold in his laughter whilst Fudge swelled like a bullfrog. Thankfully Professor Fontaine came up to them at that moment, accompanied by the headmistress of the House of Wisdom.

"Minister, that was quite something!" said Fontaine breathlessly. Fudge turned quickly to the American, wringing his hands.

"Professor, I can't apologise enough. This girl,"

"Why do you need to apologise? That was the most fun I've had in years!" the wizard laughed. Fudge stopped stammering and stared at the headmaster as though he thought he'd lost his mind. The Headmistress of the House of Wisdom, a kind faced lady by the name of Mistress Qabbani, nodded fervently in agreement.

"Oh yes, the last time I was in the country I found it so boring, everything was so traditional and grey, but now I see I was completely wrong. I shall be taking a favourable report back to Bayt al-Hikma."

She smiled warmly at Alaw who returned it, a little smugly. Fudge still seemed to be trying to get a hold on the situation and Draco quietly drew Alaw away before the Minister found his voice.

"Come on, let's go outside just in case any more angry officials come looking for you," he sniggered.

Alaw couldn't agree more and together they left the hall, walked across the Entrance Hall and stepped out into the grounds.

"Holy frigging crap it's cold," Alaw shuddered. "Hold on a sec."

She paused at the top of the steps and glanced around, her eyes falling on a handkerchief someone had dropped. She drew her wand and pointed it at the scrap of cloth, which grew larger and thicker, and cleaned itself of the dirt it had picked up. When it was big enough, Alaw wrapped it around her shoulders like a shawl.

"Nice spell work," said Draco appreciatively.

"Should last a few minutes," said Alaw with a shrug. "Transfiguration is more Hermione's thing."

They walked together through the grotto in silence for a while. All around them in the decorative bushes they could hear couples giggling together. Alaw began to feel a little hot around the collar as she listen to this and realised that she and Draco were quite alone. _Don't be silly_ , she told herself, _you've only just stopped having a crush on Bill! Don't start another one on a friend_.

"I tell you Severus this is serious! I know you think so too."

"I don't see why you're getting so worried Igor. It may mean nothing at all."

Alaw and Draco paused in their leisurely stroll and looked at each other in surprise. The voices they'd just heard whispering nearby belonged to Snape and, unless Alaw was very much mistaken, Karkaroff.

"I know you can't be as calm as you pretend, you're afraid Severus, admit it!"

Whilst Snape gave an evasive reply, Alaw put a finger to her lips and pointed in the direction of the voices. It seemed the two men were standing behind a statue of a man and a woman embracing and Alaw sneaked over to it so she could spy on them. Draco followed and together they lent carefully around the statue to see Snape and Karkaroff standing by a gurgling fountain. Karkaroff looked angry and afraid, and Snape had his back to them.

"A small amount of discomfort and you begin to panic like a child," Snape sneered. Karkaroff bared his teeth.

"It is not merely the pain, look!"

He thrust out his arm and yanked back the sleeve. Alaw stared, intrigued, at a dark patch of skin on his left forearm. It looked like a tattoo which had been inexpertly removed, leaving a stain and a raised bump on the skin.

"Look how dark it is getting, how clear! You can almost see the snake!" Karkaroff hissed.

"Well then put it away!" Snape retorted. "Before somebody sees and calls for a lynch mob. If you are really that frightened then flee! Run away before he returns, if he returns. I'm done discussing this with you Igor."

And with that Snape whirled around and walked straight towards the two spies. Alaw yanked her head back and Draco seized hold of her to pull her into the niche between the two figures in the statue. The two of them stood there, pressed together so close Alaw could feel Draco's breath on her neck, as Snape marched past. Karkaroff didn't appear and given the silence which followed, Alaw assumed he had gone in a different direction.

"What was all that about?" Alaw asked in a low voice. "Since when do those two know each other, and what was that dark thing on his arm?"

Draco's face was half in shadow so Alaw couldn't make out his expression very well. He merely shrugged her questions away and stood there. Alaw shook her head and in doing so, noticed something above them. The hand of the woman in the statue was slightly extended and from there dangled a bunch of green leaves and white berries which had certainly not been there before. Alaw gave snort and pointed them out to Draco.

"This damn castle just loves to intervene doesn't it?" she sighed. Draco gazed at the mistletoe for a moment then looked back down at Alaw. He looked suddenly nervous. Alaw swallowed and glanced around surreptitiously to make sure they were alone.

"Um, you know, in muggle culture, it's really bad luck not to kiss under mistletoe," she said. "Just so you know, as an interesting fact."

"It's unlucky for wizards too," said Draco.

Neither of them moved. _Well damn, he's not going to do it is he? You'll just have to_ , Alaw thought. She leant forward slowly, giving him enough to escape if he wanted to, but he stayed where he was. She wasn't a very experienced kisser, but the mechanics of it weren't difficult to work out. It was very pleasant really and she didn't let thoughts of the implications ruin the moment, especially when Draco put his arms around her waist and his hands on her back. They snogged for about half a minute before they were rudely interrupted.

"Ahem-Ahem."

The two of them looked round and saw Snape standing there with his arms folded and a slightly disgusted look on his face. Apparently he hadn't gone too far and must have doubled back. Draco and Alaw extracted themselves quickly from the alcove and stood before Snape. Draco looked guilty, but Alaw was furious that he'd ruined what had been a perfectly lovely situation.

"Off to bed Jones, _now_ ," Snape said silkily, his eyes on Draco who was surely in for a bollocking. Alaw didn't need telling twice. Abandoning Draco to his fate she hurried away and didn't look back until she was nearly in the Entrance Hall. Draco was looking jealously after her and she gave him and smile and a wave before disappearing into the castle.

 **I've read lots of headcannons of muggle-borns crashing the Yule Ball with their cheesy dance moves and I wanted to put it in for the fun of it. Let me know what you thought in the comments!**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter, it was a lot of fun to write. Here's a new one for you with more Draco POV later on, enjoy!**

 **Chapter 15**

 **Macarena Fallout**

Hogwarts castle was deathly quiet on Boxing Day morning. The majority of people were still in bed nursing hangovers but there were a few bleary eyed students dotted about the Great Hall when Alaw entered. The room had been returned to its usual appearance and Alaw beat the usual path to the Gryffindor table. She would dearly have loved to stay in bed herself but the Hogwarts Express left at eleven o clock and she would have to be on it if she wanted to see her family this holiday. Neville was the only one of her friends having breakfast and Alaw sat down opposite him gracelessly.

"Morning," he said cheerfully and Alaw grunted a vague reply, too intent of loading her plate with scrambled eggs. Neville had a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of him and he flipped it over so Alaw could see it.

"You made the front page by the way," he said and Alaw's head jerked up from her food.

"You're kidding," she cried and she scanned the paper quickly. The headline read ' _The Yule Ball Heralded a Great Success: Foreign Visitors Praise Light-hearted Entertainment_ ' and beneath this was a large photograph. Alaw was in the middle doing the Macarena with a few other muggle-borns. Draco wasn't in the picture so it must have been taken just before he joined them. Alaw was quite surprised the Prophet hadn't plastered his guilty face all over the papers, it would have been quite the scandal.

"Well, it sounds like everyone had a great time," she said with a grin, which only faltered slightly as her eyes slid over a few racist comments further down the page about what a disgrace she was and how she ought to be thrown out of Hogwarts for such a 'lude and perverted display'. She found herself wondering how many old ladies would be struck down by heart attacks if she'd shown everyone how to twerk. "It's a shame we didn't get to do more really. Where's Hermione by the way? We're supposed to go to the station together."

"Ah, now," said Neville gravely. "Tread softly around Ron and Hermione for a bit. When we all got back to the common room last night they had a massive bust up, everyone saw it, and now they're not speaking to each other."

"Oh shit," Alaw sighed. "What did they say to each other?"

"Ron is still maintaining that Hermione only went out with Krum to get back at him, and Hermione says Ron should have asked her earlier to go to the ball instead of being a mardy arse now, whatever that is."

Alaw groaned and kneaded her forehead with her knuckles.

"They're like a pair of children," she said irritably. "You'd think we were in year ten or something. Ok well I've got to go, I'll see if I can find Hermione on the train and ask her about it. Have a nice holiday."

"See you in a couple of weeks," Neville called as Alaw grabbed her muggle duffle bag full of presents and clothes and left the Great Hall.

On her way past the Slytherin table she waved farewell to Daphne and Flora, ignored a shouted insult from Crabbe, and tried not to scan the place for Draco. Even from her brief glance she could tell he wasn't there though. He was probably still in bed like all sensible people should have been. She thought through the events of the previous night and tried to work out how she felt about them. When she had gone to bed she'd felt quite pleased a little bit giggly. But now, in the harsh light of morning, the decision to kiss under the mistletoe didn't seem like a very wise one. It was never a good idea to mess about with friends, especially when that friend thought less of you because of your family and whose other friends would turn on him the moment they found out.

When she got back at the start of term she would just have to talk to Draco and laugh the whole thing off as a drunken mistake. Yes, that was all it had been, a bit of fun. Outside the castle the air was cold and crisp and Alaw wrapped her scarf securely around her lower face as she joined the trickle of sleepy students on their march down to Hogsmead Station. The Hogwarts Express was already waiting on the platform and Alaw climbed aboard, gratefully that she wouldn't have to wait in the freezing cold. Most of the compartments were already full so Alaw peered into each one as she walked down the length of the train, searching for Hermione. Eventually she found her sitting alone in a compartment near the end, glowering out of the window.

"There you are, why weren't you at breakfast?" Alaw asked when she slipped inside and fell into the seat opposite. Crookshanks purred from his position on Hermione's lap in greeting.

"Wasn't hungry," Hermione mumbled and Alaw grinned.

"Too much Butterbeer last night eh?"

Hermione shrugged and stroked Crookshanks absentmindedly. The conductor blew his whistle at that moment and the train gave a lurch before pulling out of the station, the wheels screeching. Once they were rounding the Black Lake and Hogwarts castle was visible across the iron grey waters, Hermione asked,

"Have you seen Ron this morning?"

"No, but Neville told me you and he had public row in the common room."

Hermione launched into a furious tirade against Ron, complaining about everything from his childish jealously, to his sloppy appearance. Alaw let her get it all out of her system, nodding and agreeing whenever necessary. She wasn't particularly interested in Ron and Hermione spat if truth be told, they had had so many fallings out since starting at school that Alaw could pretty much track the progress of a fight simply from the insults used. Once Hermione had tired herself out and gone back to glaring at the scenery, Alaw said,

"Right, I'll give Ron kick up the arse for you when we get back. But in other news, I may have done something a bit stupid last night."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Oh no, you didn't get into a fight with Theodore's gang again did you?"

"What? No! I was good as gold I swear, barely saw any of them all night actually. No no this is something else. So, um, you know how I was dancing with Draco?"

"Yes I saw," said Hermione, pursing her lips in disapproval. "Look Al, I know you like having someone to talk to about all this nerdy stuff, but surely you can find someone better. Draco is a complete prat."

" _Yeah_ , I kind of kissed him," said Alaw flatly.

There was silence in the compartment as Hermione stared at her. Alaw twiddled her thumbs and looked about her awkwardly as her friend processed this information.

"Oh Alaw," Hermione sighed eventually. She didn't sound angry, just resigned. "You really know how to pick them don't you? How did that even happen?"

So Alaw told her all about her telling off from Cornelius Fudge and her and Draco's stroll through the grotto, the argument they'd witnessed between Snape and Karkaroff, and their eventually snog under the mistletoe. Hermione looked surprised at the description of Karkaroff's strange behaviour but skated past it.

"Well, at least no one saw you. You'd never hear the end of it if someone had."

"No one except Snape," Alaw muttered sourly. "But he's not likely to tell anyone, Draco's his godson after all, a scandal would reflect badly on him."

Hermione shook her head and pushed her hair, which had reverted back to its wild curls, out of her face. After another pregnant pause she asked seriously,

"Al, do you actually fancy Draco?"

"No! God no," said Alaw automatically. Then she thought about it properly. "Well, I don't think I do. Draco's quite good looking but like you said he can be a sarcy bastard who still won't get over his 'pureblood's are the best' thing."

"Well, no offense Al but you can be quite sarcy sometimes too," Hermione pointed out lightly. "And you do like talking about Draco a lot."

"I do not!" Alaw protested hotly. "Anyway, even if I did fancy Draco, I still wouldn't do anything about it. Can you imagine what people would say if he and I started going out? His family would disown him, or Lucius Malfoy would send assassins after me! Let alone what Theodore and his cronies would do. No no, it's safer for us both if we just stay friends."

Hermione gave her one of her knowing smiles. Alaw tried to steer the conversation elsewhere and started to regret telling her friend anything. As they travelled further south, Hermione took out her small, portable radio and tuned it. It sometimes managed to pick up muggle stations at Hogwarts but they were usually interrupted by the WWN at inopportune times. Here however it tuned into the BBC fairly quickly. As Uptown Girl began to play softly in the background Hermione grinned slyly at Alaw again.

"What?" asked Alaw wearily.

"Oh, just thought this would be the perfect soundtrack to your relationship with Draco. He's Uptown Girl, you're Downtown Boy, hey!"

Alaw had thrown her scarf at Hermione who giggled none the less. Alaw was quite glad when the train pulled into Crew and she was finally able to escape.

OoOoO

' _Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father's right," she said. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy._ '

Draco groped on his bedside table for his drink without taking his eyes off the page. He had put off reading Alaw's Christmas gift to him because there had been so many other things to attend to at the end of term. But now he was at home all he had was time. He was enjoying this book, even if the language was quite crude, and the message it was trying to send painfully obvious. Alaw could be subtle when she wanted to be but giving him this book was like shouting in his face what she thought of him and his world view.

But nothing she had shown or told him had thus far convinced him that muggles were anything but vicious, cruel and stupid. He had adjusted his opinion ever so slightly to allow that, occasionally, a muggle or muggle-born could rise above that which they were born into to shine. Alaw was such a person and he admired her for it. It couldn't have been easy to drag herself out of that world to excel in his.

 _To Kill a Mockingbird_ was a well-loved tome, much perused and battered about the edges. He and Alaw agreed that to leave a book in that state was a compliment to the author, not vandalism. There were annotations in the margins of most pages, Alaw's handwriting underlining a sentence or two and making comments about it. None of her other books had born such graffiti but she had mentioned this was a school textbook. Draco's thumb brushed her scribbled words almost fondly. Then he realised what he was doing and put the book aside irritably.

He'd had a lot of time to think on the journey home. Blaise and Theodore had been happy enough to talk amongst themselves and Pansy had been easy to ignore. Draco had thought long and hard about the Yule Ball, and wondered what on earth had possessed him to do so many stupid things. First, he had danced with a mudblood, unthinkable in itself, then he had joined in a scandalous muggle dance, and then, he had allowed said mudblood to _kiss_ him.

 _It's just a phase_ , he told himself sternly and not for the first time that year. It was true that since going to Hogwarts he had been feeling a little rebellious, probably because it was the first time in his life he'd been away from his mother's fussing and his father's watchful gaze. He had always been desperate to win his father's approval growing up but all his efforts had just exasperated Lucious and he'd had many scoldings for embarrassing him in front of important officials. But then they'd had that huge falling out just before school began and since then Draco had been pushing the limits of his father's control. Reading muggle books and listening to muggle music felt daring and exciting. If Draco wasn't careful he might end up like Cameron Boyle, all piercings and tattoos.

There came a knock on the door and Draco glanced up.

"Who is it?" he called.

"Dobby, young master, your father is wanting to see you in his study."

Draco felt the old fear coil in his stomach. He wasn't precisely afraid of his father, at least, not since he was very small, but a summons to the study had always been an ominous thing. After dragging himself reluctantly from his bed and putting on his shoes - father never could stand sloppiness even around the house - he opened his bedroom door. Their tiny, dishevelled house elf stood nervously there and Draco scowled.

"I can find the study on my own thank you," he snapped. "I do live here you know, get back to the kitchen!"

Dobby bowed quickly and vanished with his usual loud crack. As he made his way downstairs, Draco wondered how Alaw would react if she knew about Dobby and Topsy, the other house elf the Malfoys owned. She had included a little background information in the front of To Kill a Mockingbird, about Jim Crow Laws and the reason black people had been treated so appallingly. Draco had heard of the Transatlantic Slave Trade of course, but he had never learnt about it from the muggle perspective before. But, House Elves were completely different, he reminded himself, they weren't human, they liked serving their betters. He'd have to explain that to Alaw if she ever found out.

His father's study was on the ground floor just of the entrance hall and Draco paused before the closed door. He took a deep breath to collect himself and knocked.

"Enter," came his father's voice.

Most of the furniture in the study were made of dark mahogany and the chairs and chaise long were tastefully upholstered in green. Draco dropped into the chair before the desk where his father sat writing letters, or so it appeared. Draco was well acquainted with Lucius' favourite tactic, forcing visitors to wait in order to unnerve them. Whilst his father played his little game Draco yawned pointedly and slouched in his chair. Finally Lucius looked up at his son with a cold glare.

"So, I hear the Yule Ball was quite an event," he began and Draco felt as though an ice cube had slipped into his stomach.

 _He knows_. Of course he knew, nothing escaped his father's scrutiny for long. Draco remained silent and merely shrugged his shoulders, trying to appear nonchalant. Lucius' eyes flashed and he pushed something across the desk at Draco. It was a photograph and it showed him dancing the Macarena beside Alaw. A similar picture had appeared in the Prophet a few days ago but Draco had been absent from that one.

"Luckily, I was able to exert some pressure at the Prophet to prevent _this_ from being printed," Lucius hissed at him. "Care to explain?"

Alright, the situation wasn't quite as dire as Draco had expected, at least his father didn't know about the kiss.

"It was just a bit of fun," Draco said carefully and his father's expression darkened.

"Do you have any idea how this looks?! My own son, dancing with a filthy mudblood, a mudblood who you have been spending a lot of time with this year, oh yes don't think you kept that quiet boy. People are already beginning to sneer." Lucius paused and drummed his fingers on the desk whilst glaring at Draco. After a while he asked, "Are you seriously becoming a mudblood lover or are you doing this to spite me?"

It irritated Draco that he wasn't quite sure of the answer himself, though surely it was the latter.

"Jones and I were working of a potions project together," Draco explained. "Believe me it was a chore, she was a pain in the arse."

His father's eye narrowed and flickered down to the photograph, as if to show he didn't believe a word of it. There was silence for a few moments as Lucius seemed to consider the situation. Then he smiled grimly.

"Alright son, I understand, everyone has a rebellious phase growing up. I know I did. But you've had your fun and it's time to put an end to it. You will stay away from this mudblood from now on and concentrate on your studies. And you should pay a little more attention to Pansy, your mother has worked hard to secure that match for you."

Draco cringed inwardly thinking about the dreaded engagement to that empty headed cow.

"I don't like her," he complained and his father sighed, picking up his quill again.

"I know you don't, but you will do your duty. You may go now."

Draco stayed where he was. He was feeling daring.

"What if I refuse?" he asked. There was an extremely pregnant pause as Lucius put down the quill again and looked up. Draco recklessly ploughed on. "What if I refuse to marry her? What if I carry on with Potions like Uncle Sev says I should and become a Healer instead?"

"Then you will be disowned and you will never set foot in my house again. Perhaps your new mudblood friend will take you in."

Draco gave a humourless bark of laughter.

"You can't disown me, I'm your only child, who would the family estate go to when you die?"

"I can always make another heir."

"No you can't! Mother can't have any more children."

It was true, Narcissa had been left barren after a miscarriage many years before, when Draco was a small child. In the style of noble families, it was the sort of thing nobody ever spoke about. Draco only knew because his mother had explained it to him when he'd asked why he couldn't have any siblings. Lucius fixed him with a glare.

"I can also find a new wife," he growled.

Draco stared at him. Whilst divorce wasn't illegal under wizarding law, it was highly unusual and scandalous. Then again Draco had heard of instances where couples had separated for this very reason, the creation of heirs was after all the whole point of marriage amongst purebloods. If you ended up happy, that was a rare bonus.

"You wouldn't," Draco said quietly and his father raised an eyebrow.

"You think not? It would be for the betterment of the family, and I wouldn't hesitate for an instant."

"We're your family!" Draco cried, leaping to his feet. "Mother and I, we're your family! When are you going to stop treating everything as though it's a business deal? Why have you never really cared about either of us? Why have you always treated me like I'm some sort of huge embarrassment?!"

"Do not raise your voice at me young man," Lucius said dangerously but Draco was too angry to listen. He rarely let his emotions get the better of him but he'd been bottling up this resentment for years. He began to pace back and forth.

"You never listen to me when I came to you with problems, you just ignore me and tell me to bare it with dignity because 'that's the Malfoy way'. Well what if I don't like the Malfoy way?! What if I want you to show me some fucking affection for a change?!"

BANG!

Something white hot seared against Draco's cheek and he reeled from the force of it. He fell against the closed door and pressed a hand to his face, gasping. Lucius lowered his wand and looked briefly guilty before reverting back to anger.

"How dare you speak to me like that, has Hogwarts turned you idiotic as well as soft?"

Draco lowered his hand after assessing to see whether any damage had been done. He couldn't feel anything wrong with his skin but it stung painfully. It had been many years since his father had been compelled to use corporal punishment, and that had been with a cane – the standard disciplinary tool of pureblood parents. This was the first time he had raised his wand against his son.

"This is all Narcissa's fault," Lucius snarled, stowing his wand in his robes. "Always fussing over you when you were young, it turned you soft. I should have made sure to instil some backbone in you. Instead I have a snivelling, insolent coward who fraternises with mudbloods and comes crying to me over the tiniest things. I should have seen this coming after that nonsense with the muggle last year."

Draco glared furiously at his father as an unpleasant chill ran down his spine. His father was talking about a nasty incident involving Theodore, Crabbe, Goyle and himself the summer before Hogwarts. It had been the last Quidditch match before they all started school, they had been in high spirits, drinking and celebrating the beginning of their new freedom. But things had turned when they had all daringly wandered into the local muggle town and come across a young girl making her way home from the pub. She had only been a muggle and was easily obliviated afterwards, but Draco had been sickened by what Theodore had drunkenly proposed doing.

"It's just a bit of fun Draco!" Theodore had laughed. "She's only a muggle, she won't remember a thing! Come on it'll be funny."

But Draco couldn't see anything funny about it and had returned to the Quidditch Pitch where the after match party was still going. His biggest regret about that night was not stopping his friends, but merely running away like a coward. When they had returned an hour later he had shouted at them and a duel had quickly broken out. He'd returned to Malfoy Manor with a bloody nose and gone straight to his father to tell him the whole story. But then his father had merely laughed and asked him why he was so worked up about such a silly thing.

"So I'm soft for not wanting to be a bastard to people?" Draco said through gritted teeth.

"You're soft for thinking mudbloods and muggles deserve the same respect as purebloods. Didn't I drum that lesson into you hard enough when you were growing up? You don't have to treat their women the same way you would treat a decent pureblood girl. The rules are different."

Draco knew that what his father was saying was true, it was the way the world worked and no one else seemed to have a problem for it. But for some reason his conscience was screaming at him that it was wrong. He imagined Alaw being treated like that, she wasn't what one would call a decent girl after all, and his heart clenched. Lucius stalked around the desk and came to loom over Draco.

"I am warning you Draco, if you continue to embarrass the family I will cast you and your mother out, do you understand me?"

Draco wanted to keep arguing, to tell his father exactly what he thought of him. But then he thought about his mother. What would she do if she was forced to leave the safety of the family? He doubted his father would return her dowry to her, her parents had both died in the war and her sister was in Azkaban. There was Aunt Andromeda he supposed, but mother would never sink to asking her for help. Feeling like a coward, Draco nodded resentfully.

"Good," Lucius growled. "Now get out of my sight. And be warned, I will be watching."

OoOoO

"Just a muggle girl! Living in a looonely wooorld! She took the Hogwarts train going Aaanywheeere!"

Alaw's tuneless warbling could be heard echoing from the kitchen where she was busy putting glasses away. Her mother came in with her hands full of bags for life and grinned at her daughter.

"You're very cheerful lately," she commented as she put the bags on the counter top and took off her coat which was soaked from the rain outside. They'd had no snow this year, Snowdonia was bleak and damp as per usual. "Every time I see you now you have a big smile on your face."

"Well, it's been a good term," Alaw shrugged.

"I'm glad," said her mother earnestly. "Because last year it didn't seem you were enjoying university at all! We were worried you know."

"Yeah, things are better now. Draco and I were working on this project all term and I think we got a really good mark."

"Would this be the Draco you're always going on about in your letters?"

Alaw nodded and turned back to the cupboard, not catching her mother's shrewd smile. She had just remembered something she wanted to ask her parents and as she picked up the last glass and put it away she said carefully,

"Mum, do you know someone called Sirius Black?"

She glanced over her shoulder to see if there was any recognition on her mother's face but she was merely frowning in confusion.

"Serious? What sort of a name is that?" Mrs Jones laughed and Alaw rolled her eyes.

"No mum, Sirius! Like, you know, the star?"

"No I don't know anyone by that name."

"Oh," Alaw sighed, disappointed. "It's just I was talking to Uncle Gruffydd the other day and he said you and dad used to hang out with Sirius Black when you were younger, just before I was born? Apparently you were quite good friends?"

"What is my brother talking about?" he mother frowned, pausing in her task of putting the meat away. "Maybe he means Lewis Evans, he went to university with us, he was a lot of fun. Wonder how his wife is doing lately, she wasn't well you know last time I saw them."

As her mother went off on a tangent Alaw stopped listening and turned her attention to the plates instead. They hadn't covered Memory Charms in class yet so she wasn't sure how they worked. Surely you couldn't just delete a memory from a person's brain without them noticing something was wrong. They'd be left with big blank stretches they couldn't explain. A skilled Obliviator would surely implant a false memory, something mundane and plausible. However Alaw knew Lewis Evans wasn't such an implant for she had met him several times growing up. Well whatever the Ministry had done to her parents, they had done a good job.

Then Alaw remembered that she'd intended to ask Draco about Sirius Black, but that it had completely slipped her mind in the run up to Christmas. She smiled to herself as she resolved to track him down the moment she returned to Hogwarts.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

 **Ignoring Atticus**

The second years arrived back for the start of the new term to find a message for them on the house notice boards. Alaw's was in her room next to the door but she'd walked right past it the night before, stiff from the train journey and eager for bed. The next morning however she caught sight of it as she was tying up her hair.

 _Second year Potions coursework results posted outside my office door – DO NOT KNOCK._

 _S. Snape_

Alaw felt her heart lift and she rushed to pack her bag before hurtling out into the corridor.

"Morning Bob," she called to the security wizard who yawned and waved blithely at her.

Alaw bypassed the Great Hall and made her way down to the dungeons where she found a crowd already gathered around Professor Snape's door. They were all speaking in hushed tones in case the Potions Master was still inside. Alaw went on tip toes to see over the heads of the students and spotted her name, along with Draco's near the top of the list.

"Yes!" she breathed, her heart swelling with relief and pride as she saw the little black O beside their names. Neville too was squeaking in delight after seeing that he had achieved Exceeds Expectations, and Hermione seemed to be trying to contain her disappointment. Alaw looked eagerly around for Draco but she couldn't see him.

"What did you get?" asked Daphne as she appeared at Alaw's elbow.

"Outstanding," said Alaw proudly. "Have you seen Draco? He'll be dead chuffed."

"He already knows, I just saw him leave with Theodore."

Alaw pulled a confused face. Draco had stopped hanging out with Theodore lately, she'd been under the impression that they'd fallen out. She'd have to stop him patching things up with that creep as soon as possible.

"Had a good holiday mudblood? I can smell that you haven't had time to wash off the stink of your house yet!" came Pansy's voice and Alaw jumped, not realised that there was a knot of Slytherin girls, including Hestia Carrow, just behind her. They were all giggling and theatrically holding their noses. Alaw rolled her eyes and muttered to Daphne,

"Come on, let's get out of here."

Alaw left the dungeons with hoots of laughter echoing up the stairs behind her. Hermione shook her head angrily.

"They're not even clever insults! They could at least come up with something new to say," she griped and Flora, who had followed them, gave a splutter of supressed laughter. Then she sobered up.

"I apologise for my sister Al," she said earnestly, "I don't know what's got into her. You'd think after you saved her from the Dementor, she'd be more grateful. But she does what Pansy tells her too."

"You shouldn't make excuses for her," Tracy chided. "We've always know Pansy's been a nasty piece of work, but Hestia should know better. You need to talk to your sister Flo."

"I have!" Flora sighed. "I've tried to make her see what a bullying cow Pansy is, but she won't listen! All she ever talks about now is the betrothal, mamma arranged it over Christmas. Lyon Rowle, another creep. But Pansy's betrothed to Draco so I suppose we all have to be."

"Pansy's what?!" Alaw shrieked.

She'd stopped in her tracks halfway across the Entrance Hall and all the girls looked at her in shock.

"She and Draco are betrothed, didn't you know that?" asked Flora, her eyebrows raised.

"I've never seen her wear a ring!" Alaw cried hotly. "I can't believe he's got to marry that whiny bitch!"

"They're not engaged yet, that won't happen till they're both of age," Daphne explained, looking at Alaw with some degree of sympathy.

Alaw simmered whilst her insides squirmed with unmistakable jealousy. What was Draco playing at, kissing her whilst he was betrothed to someone else? She knew she'd decided not to act on her feelings for Draco, which may or may not have been there in the first place, but her blood still boiled at this revelation. Whilst Alaw had her internal melt down, Tracy suggested they all go and have breakfast.

"Al and I said we'd have breakfast down at Hagrid's," said Hermione, then she pointed into the Great Hall. "Look, Ron's over there, looks like they're having an impromptu team meeting, you can all go and sit with him."

"They're at the Gryffindor table," said Tracy with mock disgust. "Daphne, you can go and sit with them. See you all later."

Whilst Tracy and Flora went to the Slytherin table and Daphne slouched grumpily over to the Gryffindors, Hermione guided Alaw outside. The snow hadn't melted on the lawn but it had frozen over, making the journey to Hagrid's quite treacherous.

"I'm sorry Al, I'd be upset too," said Hermione soothingly as they picked their way towards the hut.

"I'm not upset!" Alaw snapped. "I'm just annoyed he didn't tell me. I mean who goes around kissing people when they have a fiancé?"

"Maybe he's not too eager to marry Pansy, I mean who would be? Maybe he's having second thoughts."

"It's an arranged match, he can't back out now."

Alaw was determined to be in a mood now so Hermione let the matter rest. When they knocked on the door of the cabin Snuffles began barking excitedly inside and there came a frantic scratching on the other side of the wood.

"Back! Back Emrys, calm down will ye?" Hagrid's voice said and they heard him unbolt the door. The moment the gap was wide enough Emrys came flying out and bowled Alaw over. They landed in the snow, a tangle of limbs and wings.

' _Mother! Where did you fly to?! You have been gone many days!_ ' Emrys whined, his claws digging into the front of her robes as he sniffed her anxiously.

' _I said I would be back before the moon was full again!_ ' Alaw wheezed, trying to heft the dragon off her belly. He was now as large as a lion, a good six feet from snout to rump at a rough guestimate, so it was no joke to have him on top of her.

"Aw, e's 'appy ter see ya!" Hagrid said fondly whilst Alaw gasped for breath and felt to see if any of her ribs had been broken. She managed to sit up but was only knocked back down by Snuffles enthusiastically nuzzling her.

"Animals," she muttered, accepting Hermione's helping hand.

A minute or two later they were sitting at Hagrid's kitchen table eating slightly burnt toast and sipping from hot mugs of tea. Snuffles was eating from his bowl near the back door and Emrys was gnawing at Alaw's hand affectionately.

"Hang on, what's that?" Alaw wondered and she took hold of Emrys' head firmly to peer into his mouth. ' _Ems you're teeth are starting to come through!_ '

Sure enough there were little white bumps peeking through the gums and Alaw showed them to Hagrid and Hermione.

"That means he's nearly ready to eat solid foods," Hermione concluded, stirring some sugar into her tea. "Remember Charlie said you should try teaching him to hunt?"

Alaw frowned and ran a hand over the dragon's back. The scales there were now bottle green and quite tough, meaning Emrys was ready to spend long periods outdoors. But Alaw was reluctant to let him just yet. Not only were there reporters floating around, but also Aurors and about half a dozen members of the Law Enforcement Squad. She was terrified that someone would see Emrys and kick up an almighty storm.

"I think we should wait until he'll actually eat solids on his own," she said evasively. Hagrid patted Emrys on the head as he passed on his way to stoke the fire.

"Ye know, it might be a good idea ter take him out into the forest sometime," he suggested. "No one would see us and there's lots of birds and mice he can chase after."

"Oh Hagrid are you sure? I didn't much like my last trip into the forest," Alaw squirmed.

She could remember only too clearly the hooded form of Quirrel, possessed by Voldemort, drinking unicorn blood. It had only been the timely arrival of Firenze the centaur which had saved Alaw from a very nasty fate indeed.

"It's perfectly safe for you to stay on the path Al, and I'll be there the whole time with Snuffles. He knows his way round the forest."

Snuffles barked once as if in agreement but Alaw wasn't convinced. Once they'd finished their breakfast and helped Hagrid clear away the plates and mugs it was almost time for the class to begin. Alaw took Emrys over to his spot under the sink, which he barely fit into anymore, and ordered him sternly not to make a sound. Emrys yipped in a disgruntled sort of way and settled himself down for a snooze. Neville and Ron were already waiting near the pumpkin patch when the girls emerged from the cabin. Though Alaw greeted them warmly and asked them how their holidays had been, Hermione sniffed and pointedly ignored Ron. The rest of the class arrived in dribs and drabs and just as the bell rang across the grounds, Theodore, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle joined them.

Alaw shot Draco a smile and gave him a covert wave but he didn't seem to notice. The focus of today's lesson was a mournful Augurey by the name of Phillis. She was intensely shy so Hagrid only let a few of them peek through the bramble patch on the edge of his garden at a time. He spoke in a low voice, pointing out the tear shaped nest and explaining her eating habits. Whilst the rest of the class crowded round and Goyle created a scene by shouting 'boo' loudly right next to the nest to frighten the poor creature, Alaw edged over to Draco. His friends were nowhere near so she took the opportunity to talk quietly to him.

"Hi," she said, smiling warmly at him. For some reason she was feeling a little nervous. Draco gave her a look one would normally reserve for dry rot.

"What do you want, mudblood?"

Her smile faltered and she glanced around just in case any of the Slytherins were lurking nearby. But they were all busy watching Hagrid scold Goyle furiously. Over this and the distressed moaning of the Augurey, it didn't seem likely they'd be over heard.

"No one's listening, you can drop the act," she reassured him. "So, uh, did you have a nice Christmas? Oh! Did you like To Kill a Mockingbird?"

Draco stuck his nose in the air and sneered at her.

"Jones, I don't know if spending time with those pigs you call family has dulled your brain even further, but please stop talking to me. I fear I may need to have a shower after this."

Alaw stared at him in confusion and looked around again. There was a sinking sensation in her heart.

"Why, why are you acting like this? Are you angry with me? Is this about what happened at the Ball? Because I was going to talk to you about that, I –"

"I thought I made myself quite clear Jones, _go away_ ," Draco said slowly, as if he was talking to a simpleton. "Now that the Potions coursework is over, I see no reason for us to ever have to make small talk again."

There was a pause whilst Alaw tried to process what was happening. Her heart had settled somewhere in the region of her stomach and she had to swallow several times. She gazed at Draco's face, trying to catch some glimmer of humour or regret but all she saw was contempt. Unable to say anything, Alaw nodded curtly, and walked away towards her friends.

OoOoOoO

 _I spend far too much time staring sadly into fireplaces,_ Alaw thought to herself. It was evening, dinner was concluded and she was sitting in the crowded Gryffindor common room with her feet up on to sofa. She had a book open on her chest but she'd stopped reading it about ten minutes ago, unable to concentrate. She was supposed to be doing research for the homework Hagrid had given them, write two scrolls of parchment about myths and superstitions surrounding magical creatures in the British Isles. She'd only come to the Tower to borrow the book from Hermione but had ended up flopping down on the sofa.

Draco's cruel words had been replaying in her head all day. At first she had been quite upset, convinced he was angry with her for some reason. She hadn't written to him following the events at the Ball, maybe he'd been expecting her too. But then, he hadn't written to her either! Maybe he was offended by the themes of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ , but no that couldn't be it either. They'd discussed those themes at length many times before. Maybe she really had been mistaken in his character, and he was disgusted by her kiss.

But a far more likely explanation had occurred to her around lunch time. He had been warned off – by Snape. Snape was Draco's godfather and he had caught them kissing. No doubt he had filled Draco's head with threats and made him see what a foolish thing it was to attach one's self to a muggleborn. She'd been sure for some time that Draco was terrified of his father and Snape had probably threatened to tell Lucius Malfoy everything.

 _Why couldn't the stupid idiot just talk to me about it?_ Alaw thought angrily. She would have understood, he didn't have to resort to insulting her and making her feel like crap. She certainly wasn't going to let him get away scot free, no sir, he'd have to try much harder to make her abandon a fellow nerd in need. Hermione plopped down in a nearby armchair with Crookshanks and sighed upon seeing Alaw's forlorn expression.

"Are you still sulking about Malfoy?" she asked tersely and Alaw threw her an annoyed glance. Ron looked up from his and Neville's chess game on the coffee table.

"What's that git done now?" he demanded whilst one of his knights traumatised Neville's pawn.

"He and Al have had a bit of argy bargy during Care of Magical Creatures and now they aren't talking to each other," said Hermione flatly, proceeding to scratch Crookshanks behind the ears. The cat had its eyes fixed on Ron and then it hissed at him menacingly.

"Do you have to have that mangy thing in the Common Room?" Ron asked. "Scabbers is sleeping in my bag!"

Hermione merely threw Ron a contemptuous look and continued to pet Crookshanks. Alaw had noticed how techy her friends had been with each other all day and she narrowed her eyes at the pair of them now. Then she glanced at Neville who merely shrugged and sighed in a weary sort of way. It really did fall on him to be the diplomat whenever Ron and Hermione argued.

"I don't think it's a big loss Al, Malfoy's always been up his own arse," Ron commented after a contemplating the board for a while.

"He's only like that because of his dad!" Alaw snapped.

Not wishing to discuss Draco with Ron, who would only ever have something bad to say, Alaw caught up her book and tried to force herself to read about Nogtails and the many farmyard tales which had grown up around them. There was peace around the fire for about half an hour, which was the length of time it took for Ron to beat Neville into a corner of the board. He had just captured his king when Crookshanks, quite without warning, leapt from Hermione's lap and landed with a yowl on Ron's book bag.

"Oi! Fuck _off_ you _stupid_ thing!" Ron roared, grabbing his bag and trying to shake the cat off.

Hermione shrieked but Crookshanks had his claws imbedded in the material and couldn't be forced free. Scabbers came flying out of the top of the bag and landed on Alaw's shoulder before diving behind the sofa.

"Quick! Someone grab him!" Ron shouted as Crookshanks tore after the terrified rat.

Several of the Gryffindors made dives for one animal or the other but the only thing achieved was the Weasley twins banging their heads together. Scabbers made a daring escape under a dresser and Hermione reached Crookshanks just in time to stop him following. Ron went down on his stomach to try and retrieve Scabbers but he wouldn't come. Alaw had to use a summoning charm and she cradled the shivering animal to her chest, cooing in sympathy. She hated seeing any creature so frightened. Ron meanwhile was shouting at Hermione.

"I told you to keep that monster away! He could have eaten Scabbers!"

"Well what do you expect me to do?!" Hermione snapped back, holding Crookshanks protectively in her arms. "I'm allowed to bring my pet into the Common Room as well you know! You don't have a monopoly on the place!"

Everyone was staring avidly as their row escalated until Alaw, glaring pointedly at the gawkers, shoved Ron with her shoulder.

"Oi! Take him upstairs and give him something to eat, poor thing doesn't want to hear this racket!" she said sternly, holding Scabbers out to Ron.

Ron snatched him up roughly and after shooting one last glare at Hermione, stalked up to his dormitory. Hermione gave a great huff and also retired to bed. Neville and Alaw were left standing at the foot of the stairs and they looked at each other despairingly.

"Oh dear," Neville sighed. "How the hell are we going to fix this?"

"We shouldn't have to fix it, I'm sick of being their relationship coach all the time," Alaw said irritably. "Why can't they function like normal adults?!"

After checking her watch she decided to call it a night and after saying goodbye to Neville she left the Common Room. This had not been a fun first day back.

OoOoO

The rest of the week did not go well for Alaw. Defence Against the Dark Arts was a nightmare as she endured the full attention of Theodore and – for the first time in months – Draco. She was feeling a lot less forgiving when she limped out of the classroom after enduring an hour of relentless jinxes to the back of the head, and then a particularly nasty giggling hex straight to the chest. She'd sunk to the floor barely able to catch her breath and actually quite frightened. Lupin had docked points for that which had only made Pansy and Hestia hiss at Alaw, as if it was her fault.

Ron and Hermione continued to treat each other like dirt, and Ron insisted it was all because of Crookshanks, and had nothing to do with the fact that Hermione had gone for dinner in the village with Viktor Krum on the second day of term. The new couple were the hot topic of discussion in the corridors and Alaw had already been approached by reporters wanting the scoop on her friend. She had told them all coldly to go fuck themselves, and they had retreated, scribbling furiously in their notepads.

But the crowning turd of the week didn't occur until Friday when Alaw walked into Potions class and found Pansy sitting in her seat next to Draco. Alaw dithered whilst Pansy looked incredibly smug and Draco pretended not to have seen her. Snape was writing up that day's instructions on the board and glanced over his shoulder to see what the giggling was about.

"You'll be working with Miss Greengrass from now on Jones," he said dismissively, then went back to writing.

Alaw gave Draco a very hurt look, then went to sit with Daphne.

"What's happened between you two?" Daphne whispered as the students opened their text books and potions kits. "You were getting on so well last term."

"Don't ask," Alaw said bitterly, wondering if it was worth twenty point from Slytherin to throw her pufferfish at the back of Draco's head.

She had thought he had more courage than this, but he seemed quite content to freeze her out of his social circle rather than risk his father's stern words. Alaw felt a sudden and irritating rush of tears threatening to burst forth and blinked several times, ducking behind her cauldron to hastily wipe her eyes. She was not going to cry in class over some wanker! She refused! She concentrated very hard of her potion that day, ripping up her fluxweed a little too forcefully.

Whilst Alaw resigned herself to sulking, the rest of the students were preparing for the next Quidditch match, Uagadou verses Mahoutokoro. The teams played in the howling January wind on the second Saturday after the holidays. It was a spectacular match to witness, the Japanese were excellent flyers and seemed to read each other's minds as they moved through the air. Though Uagadou put up a brave fight, the game was a foregone conclusion and after three hours of play, the snitch was caught by the Japanese Seeker, Sora Nakamura.

"Not really a surprising outcome," Ron said as they negotiated their way out of the stands. "Mahoutokoro have been favourites since the start. Are coming into the village to the after party?"

Alaw considered it but in the end shook her head. She still had the Marauders Map in her trunk but she didn't feel much like crawling through tunnels and cellars just to hide under the cloak all evening.

"Nah, I've still got that essay from Sprout to finish."

It was as good an excuse as any. The truth was she just wasn't in the celebrating mood, especially after Crabbe tripped her up on her way into the Entrance Hall. Alaw managed to land face first on the stone floor and she felt a sickening crunch to her nose. People around her burst into gales of laughter as she sat back on her heels clutching her face in tears.

"What are you fuckers laughing at?!" Ron demanded furiously, brandishing his wand at a few giggling Ravenclaws who quickly moved on.

"Oh be careful Jones, you're getting mud all over the floor!" Theodore guffawed, drawing Ron's fury onto him instead. As the Gryffindors and Slytherins began to square off and wands were drawn, Hermione helped Alaw to her feet.

"Come on, let's get you to the hospital wing," she muttered and then she barked at some gawking students to get out of their way.

As they mounted the marble staircase, Professor Lupin arrived on the scene to break up the fight and Alaw glanced around to see Draco standing to the side. His wand wasn't drawn and he was looking her way with a guilty expression. Then he saw her looking and quickly turned away.

"Oh no not this again!" Madam Pomphrey huffed when Hermione explained how Alaw had come by her injury. "I thought this nonsense had stopped at the end of last year!"

She prodded Alaw's nose with her wand.

"Episky!" she said clearly and Alaw yelped as her bones snapped back into place. She continued to bleed however and Madam Pomphrey tutted.

"For some reason you always were difficult to heal Miss Jones," she said, shaking her head. "That happens sometimes, ones magic resists any attempt to heal the body, perceiving it as a threat, but you are the worst case I've seen in years."

The matron was tempted to keep Alaw in the hospital wing for a little while but Hermione assured her that all was well, and that she would walk her back to her apartments.

"The purebloods are getting bolder," said Alaw grimly as their made their way to the upper floors. "Perhaps it's time I made good on some of my threats from last year."

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked wearily and Alaw smiled. It was quite a sly smile.

"I still have that letter from Theodore's uncle. I'm sure there are plenty of people in the Wizengamot who would love to catch Avery doing something dodgy."

Hermione, who had never approved of Alaw's side career in espionage, merely gave her friend a reproving glance. When they came within sight of Gryffindor Tower, Alaw hailed Sir Cadogan warmly.

" _Cyfarchion cynnes syr!_ "

The knight jumped in astonishment and pushed up his visor to peer at the approaching girls. Then a smile spread over his face.

" _Cyfarchion arlwyddes! Mae hi'n amser maith ers i mi glywed y famiaith!_ "

Alaw had been curious about the new Gryffindor guardian so had done a little research when he was installed. She had been pleasantly surprised to find him referenced in the Mabinogion and had resolved to greet her fellow countryman the next time she passed. Hermione looked at her in some surprise and Alaw shrugged.

"The name gave it away," she explained. "It means, 'honour in battle'. Anyway, Scurvy Cur!"

Sir Cadogan bowed formally to the pair of them and swung open. Before Hermione could climb through the hole however, Ginny came bursting out. Her face was severely scratched and she was clutching something in her hand.

"Hermione, you have got to find a way of controlling that cat!" Ginny panted angrily. "It tried to eat Scabbers, again!"

"Well Ron shouldn't let him wonder around then should he?" said Hermione angrily, bending to scoop up Crookshanks who had just appeared at Ginny's feet, meowing hungrily. "He should buy him a cage and keep him in the dormitory. Crookshanks isn't the only cat in the tower!"

"Give him here," said Alaw impatiently and Ginny handed Ron's rat over. "Tomorrow we'll go into Hogsmead and find Ron a cage, there's bound to be something in that junk shop down the end. I'll keep Scabbers in my room tonight."


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note – A little more action in this chapter. My fiancé advised me to give credit to another fanfiction author for my references to Fionn's Window later in the chapter, so I thank you – Arsinoe de Blassenville and you're story** _ **The Best Revenge**_ **– for my inspiration.**

 **Chapter 17**

 **Alaw's Revenge**

At first, Alaw wasn't sure what is was exactly that made her wake so abruptly. It was still pitch black in her bedroom, clouds were obviously covering the moon for there was no helpful ray of light coming from her window. Then she heard movement near-by and her whole body froze. Her heart pounding, she turned her head a fraction to the side and saw to her horror that there was a person standing next to her bed. Judging from the build it was a man, but a small one at that. He appeared to be prodding through the detritus on her bedside table and in an instant she knew he was looking for her wand. But she always kept that in its holster and hanging from the bedpost, on the _other_ side of the bed of course.

Her mind began to whiz through some calculations, could she turn and reach it in time? Maybe she could feign rolling over in her sleep. As she battled between her desire for a wand and her instinct to stay perfectly still, the stranger continued in his fruitless search. His face was shrouded in darkness and she didn't dare open her eyes further to get a proper look, especially when she noticed the glint of sliver in his hand. He was holding a knife, her potions knife it appeared, taken from the kit she had left in the sitting room. What felt like an age ticked by until the intruder seemed to give up and turned his attention to her.

She must have flinched reflexively for he moved like a snake, one hand clamping over her mouth which had opened to let out a scream. The pair struggling for a moment, Alaw kicking the bedclothes into a tangle around her, one hand clawing at the man's face and the other groping desperately for her wand. But then she felt cold, sharp steel against her threat and she went still, shivering in fright.

The man did not appear to want to speak for he jerked his head towards the door and Alaw slowly pushed herself off the bed. Once she was standing, the intruder threw his free arm around her chest and hauled her through into the sitting room. They crossed it quickly and when they reached the door to the corridor he made a few more grunts and gestures. Alaw played the fool and shook her head as though she didn't understand. But the intruder grew impatient and grabbed a handful of her hair, yanking it painfully. He kept twisting until her hand shot out and turned the handle of the door. He dragged her outside where she felt a ray of hope leap through her.

Bob the security wizard jerked out of his slumber and rose from his watch stool.

"Hey! Let go of –"

His shout cut off into wet gurgle as the intruder plunged the knife into his chest. Alaw let out a scream of horror as the security wizard sank to the floor into a puddle of robes, the now bloodstained Daily Prophet falling too. Fueled by fear, Alaw jerked her elbow back into the intruder's face and bit down on the hand trying to stifle her shout. He yelled in pain and was too slow to grab Alaw as she made a run for it. She pelted away and as she approached the Fat Lady's corridor she yelled,

" _Syr Cadogan! Gelynion! Mae yna elynion yn y castell! Cer i nol yr Athro McGonagall!_ "

" _Gelynion! Y cachgwn, paid a phoeni arglwyddes!"_

Sir Cadogan leapt onto his grey pony and charged out of his portrait, waving his sword over his head. Alaw cursed and continued past Gryffindor Tower, there was no chance of getting in there without the guardian, and tried to make for the stairs. But her delay had cost her precious ground and a hand suddenly closed about her arm and she stumbled.

"Get off! Help! HELP!" she howled, and she hooked a leg around one of the intruders to send him tumbling to the floor. Unfortunately he dragged her too and she felt a searing pain in her arm as the knife slashed through her pyjamas. Alaw rolled clear just as a jet of light shot over their heads. Alaw looked around and saw that Professor McGonagall had arrived, still dressed in her nightclothes but brandishing her wand fiercely. Sir Cadogan was riding alongside her in the portraits lining the walls, shouting threats at the intruder. The man in question had scrabbled backwards at the sight of the Gryffindor matriarch and was even now legging it back down the corridor.

"Coward! Stand and fight!" Sir Cadogan raged and McGonagall sent a stream of hexes at the man's retreating back. But he managed to duck into Alaw's corridor just in time.

"Stay there, Miss Jones!" McGonagall cried, and she charged after the assailant. Sir Cadogan was about to follow her but Alaw stopped him.

" _Aros! Cer i nol yr athrawon eraill, Dumbledore! Lupin! Cer!_ " she commanded and the knight obeyed, though he seemed reluctant to leave the fray.

Alaw hoped he didn't try and run all the way to Dumbledore's office and instead went to the nearest teacher to get them to do it. She was alone in the corridor for a minute or two, clutching the gash in her arm and sitting with her back against the wall. When McGonagall did return she looked grim.

"Are you alright Jones? Are you hurt?" she asked anxiously, kneeling beside her.

"Just my arm," Alaw panted. "Professor, did you get him?"

"No," said McGonagall sourly and she coaxed Alaw's hand away in order to look at the wound. "He vanished, but the castle will be searched again."

"What about Bob?"

McGonagall's grip on her arm tightened briefly and she swallowed.

"He – he didn't make it," she said heavily and Alaw closed her eyes briefly, shuddering.

It didn't take long for Sir Cadogan to clank back into view with half a dozen teachers at his heels, including the headmaster and Snape. Professor Sprout rushed forward to help McGonagall haul a shocked Alaw to her feet. Once the Transfiguration mistress had conjured a quilted dressing gown for Alaw they hustled her into McGonagall's office where they left Sprout to guard her whilst they went searching.

They didn't bother moving all the students into the Great Hall this time, instead they merely sealed all the Common Rooms and alerted the Prefects that no one was to leave under any circumstances. The Aurors were called in, and a few of the other headmasters and headmistresses joined the search voluntarily. But it was all fruitless and by the time dawn broke, they had given up the search. Dawlish came to the office along with Snape and Dumbledore to take Alaw's statement and she gave it as accurately as she possibly could.

"And you can't describe the man's face at all?" Dawlish asked sceptically, running his eye down his notes.

"It was dark," said Alaw, defensively. She was nursing a mug of hot chocolate which Professor Sprout had fixed for her. Snape too was looking irritated.

"Come on Jones you must have seen something! What was he wearing? Was he tall?"

"He was quite short, only a bit taller than me," Alaw supplied, thinking hard. "I think he was wearing grey robes."

The men all looked at each other.

"Short? Are you certain Jones? Black is a tall man, are you sure you aren't mistaken?"

"No! He was short I swear," Alaw insisted, irritated at being doubted.

There were a few more glances amongst the adults and Alaw pulled the dressing-gown closer about herself protectively. Eventually she was led away, under heavy guard, to one of the Hogwarts guest rooms. Her own apartments were still a crime scene and the Auror office wouldn't be done with them until tomorrow, and the thought of all the questions that awaited her in Gryffindor Tower was unbearable at that moment.

OoOoO

It continued to amaze Alaw how good Dumbledore and the Ministry were at suppressing information. There wasn't so much as a peep from the Daily Prophet concerning the break-in over the next few weeks. Of course, it had occurred in the small hours of the morning and most of the students hadn't even known their common rooms were sealed in the first place. Alaw had of course told her friends but no one else seemed to be aware of anything untoward happening. Security around Alaw's rooms became even tighter, so tight in fact that she found it quite restricting. The wards were changed so that nobody except herself, Professor McGonagall and the two Aurors assigned to guard the door could cross the threshold. Anyone else had to be physically brought inside by Alaw.

She now had a curfew of eight o clock and she had to tell the Aurors where she was going when she left in the mornings, and what time she would be back later. Teachers found excuses to walk with her from class to class and she was especially watched whenever she went out into the grounds for Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures. It made it almost impossible to sneak out and see Emrys, but Alaw took to carrying the invisibility cloak around with her, and making unnecessary trips to the toilet to put it on. It helped that Hermione, Ron and Neville were her accomplices in all this because they covered for her whenever she was missed.

The cloak made Alaw feel safe as she had been quite shaken by the attempt to kidnap her. She had wept over the death of Bob, even though she barely knew him, and it had shown her just how far Sirius Black would go to get her.

"But why didn't he just kill me?" she wondered to Hermione and the boys. "He had a knife, he could have just stabbed me and legged it, where was he trying to take me?"

For that, nobody really had an answer.

January faded imperceptibly into February and the weather didn't improve one jot. Instead of snow, the castle was now battered with miserable rain and the lawns turned into vast lakes as the soil simply couldn't take any more water. The storms didn't keep the crowds away from the next Quidditch match however, in which the House of Wisdom narrowly won against Nalanda. Ron and the rest of the Hogwarts team kept a strict training routine which had them all sopping wet most evenings. There was tension, however, between Madam Hooch and Karkaroff, who booked the pitch so often that the Hogwarts students had trouble getting on it. Angry words had been exchanged between the two coaches in the Entrance Hall which were gleefully listened to by half a dozen students.

Ron and Hermione were at constant loggerheads these days too. Scabbers had gone missing for a few days until Ron found him quivering behind a suit of armour a floor down from Gryffindor Tower. His snout was bent out of shape and Ron had immediately blamed Crookshanks. Neville went into Hogsmead himself and bought a serviceable cage from the second hand shop but this did nothing to quench Ron's fury.

Hermione did her best to ignore Ron since she was busy courting with Viktor Krum. Alaw did not entirely approve of the silent Quidditch player, finding his conversation rather limited and dull, but she dutifully kept her mouth shut as Hermione seemed quite pleased by his attentions. She even spent a couple of nights down on the Durmstrang ship until Karkaroff found out and put a stop to it – saying it was distracting his star player and would throw him off his game. The girls came to dislike Karkaroff a great deal and Alaw had not forgotten his odd argument with Snape at the Yule Ball. Whenever she saw the two of them together, which admittedly was a rare occurrence, neither man looked at each other and both seemed angry about something.

But Alaw had more important things to think about than Karkaroff and Snape. After giving it a few weeks to see if Theodore's gang would get bored of harassing her, she put her plan into motion. She and Draco obviously weren't talking anymore, but last term she had picked his brain for information concerning the Wizengamot. She had identified Godwin Avery's main rivals, chiefly Amelia Bones whom he frequently defied during trials and Preston Rowle, an unsavoury character who was longing to get one over on Avery who had cut him out of a deal a few years back. Alaw had given the matter some thought and had decided that Rowle could probably do the most damage with her information.

Amelia Bones was by all accounts squeaky clean and scrupulously fair, so would go through the proper procedure to prosecute Avery. But he knew the legal system inside out and would undoubtedly worm his way free. Rowle on the other hand would probably play dirty and cause real trouble for Avery. So, an anonymous letter was sent to Preston Rowle, containing the incriminating evidence and some hints as to how it may be used. Alaw had carefully masked her handwriting just in case Rowle tried to trace the letter back. She wasn't technically doing anything illegal, she wasn't using the letter to extract money and they couldn't charge her with withholding evidence because she had brought it to the attention of the authorities. Was it her fault that those authorities were dodgy as fuck?

OoOoO

Draco came back from the library one evening to find the Slytherin common room alive with whispers and Theodore in a towering temper.

"What's going on?" he asked, joining his friends over by the window. Theodore was pacing back and forth with a screwed up copy of the Daily Prophet in his hands. Crabbe and Goyle were looking concerned and Blaise very serious.

"That filthy mudblood cunt! She'll pay for this, I swear I'm going to curse her until she's begging or mercy," Theodore exploded.

Draco felt his heart sinking, knowing exactly who Theodore was talking to. Whilst his friend continued to swear and threaten the vilest of revenges on Alaw, he threw the newspaper at Draco. Preparing himself for the worst, Draco smoothed it out and ran his eye over the front page.

 _ **DISGRACED WIZENGAMOT BARRISTER FACES TRIAL**_

 _ **Working on a tip-off from an anonymous source the Auror office today arrested Godwin Avery from his London townhouse on charges of insider trading.**_

 _That stupid brave fool actually did it_ , Draco thought, impressed in spite of himself. Alaw had confessed to him before Christmas that she had solid evidence against Avery and it was this which had kept her largely safe from Theodore's pranks and harassment. But he had been increasingly cocky of late, perhaps taking his cue from Draco's feigned disinterest. Perhaps he had thought Alaw would never follow through on her threats.

As Theodore broke into another rant, Draco checked his watch. It was only eight o clock and he'd just seen Alaw working in the library with the Gryffindors. If he was quick, he might still catch her. Making some vague excuse Draco turned on his heel and headed towards the exit.

"Where are you going now?" Pansy called from her position by the fire. "You said you'd play cards with me!"

"I left something in the library," he snapped irritably.

This was one of the worst things about his enforced estrangement from Alaw, he'd replaced fun and interesting conversation about books and potions with insipid, mind-numbing prattle about high society nonsense. He didn't care one jot that Hestia's mother was miffed at Daphne's mother for not inviting her to the last dinner party. Pansy had also been making some thinly veiled hints about what kind of engagement ring she would like. Expensive, by the sound of things. The thought of being saddled with her for the rest of his life was too much to bear.

As he entered the library for the second time that night, the Auror on duty glanced at him suspiciously. Draco had noticed that the Auror presence in the castle had stepped up considerably in the past few weeks, for no clear reason. They seemed to be following the second years in particular which was very odd. Alaw was sitting at one of the smaller tables in the runes section with Granger and Krum. She was tapping her finger rapidly on her cheek which meant she was annoyed about something. No wonder, Draco thought, as he saw that Krum was speaking to Granger in a low voice. Draco hated it when people chattered in the library, there was an area for group work and this wasn't it. He watched them for a little while whilst pretending to flick through a book on Native American pictographs, until Alaw got up and disappeared between the shelves.

Draco followed and came across her taking down a large, rather old book. Strange, she usually preferred working from newer material.

"I suppose you thought that was terribly clever," Draco said sternly. Alaw started and turned quickly. On seeing who it was her expression turned cold.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said witheringly. "Careful, you might catch something talking to me."

Damn, she was still angry with him. Well of course she was! He was angry with himself. But he had hoped she was clever enough to figure out why he was acting the way he was.

"Theodore is not going to let you get away with this, if he did nothing, he would never get any respect in the dungeons again. You destroyed his uncle's career and reputation!"

"Good," said Alaw forcibly. "Should have done it months ago. Maybe they can find a nice cell for him next to his brother-in-law."

Of course, Theodore's father was also in Azkaban on charges of fraud, Gringotts did not take kindly to people ripping them off. There was a vengeful glint in Alaw's eyes which Draco had never seen before.

"You're not listening to me!" he snapped. "Theodore is going to kill you for this! He's dangerous, he'll hurt you."

Draco could only remember too well what Theodore did to girls he thought were trash, and he couldn't let that happen to Alaw. She seemed to sense the fear in his tone because she stopped scowling.

"I know he's dangerous," she assured him. "I'm taking precautions. And besides," she smiled in a self-satisfied and evil way. "His faithful henchmen won't be too keen to help him corner me, not after I let them know I've got dirt on all of them too. For example, did you know Goyle's dad has a side business in stolen magical artefacts? I know coz dear Gregory helps him out, I saw him nick Penelope Clearwater's silver neckless the other day when she was off flying with her mates."

"Have you been reading _everyone's_ letters?!" Draco demanded furiously.

Alaw raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Draco had a sudden feeling of apprehension. He now realised that to provoke this woman's ire was a very bad idea. His mind raced through all the letters he had received from home and tried to remember if there was anything incriminating in them.

"Everyone except my friends of course," Alaw added just as Draco was beginning to panic.

"Oh," he said, not sure if he could count himself amongst that group anymore. "Well, ok, just be careful alright?"

Alaw frowned at him.

"Why do you care all of a sudden? You were saying just a few weeks ago that you think I'm scum and that I have to stay away from you."

"Oh come on! You know that wasn't –"

He broke off before he said too much. They may have been alone but he still had his pride. He tried to come with a simple way to explain all the family politics, but there wasn't really a way of putting it without making him sound like a miserable coward. Finally he settled for,

"You don't really understand a man until you look at things from his point of view."

"Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it," Alaw finished, smiling faintly. She gazed at him for a few moments before sighing.

"Fine, you've got your own shit to deal with right now, and I've got mine. I have a war to wage after all."

Draco snorted then glanced behind him as he heard footsteps. The Auror who had been standing by the door earlier was doing a slow walk past the end of the shelves, again shooting him suspicious glances.

"What's his problem?"

"Oh he probably thinks you're in league with Sirius Black and are trying to off me for him," Alaw said boredly. Draco turned back to her with a slight frown. Since he had overheard Professor Snape and Dumbledore discussing Sirius Black's plot to kill Alaw they hadn't discussed it explicitly.

"How's that all going by the way?" he asked. Alaw suddenly blinked and glanced away, surely a tell.

"Fine," she said shortly. "You'd better clear off before Proudfoot has a heart attack."

It was quite clear that she was hiding something but the Auror was now openly staring at them so Draco decided to make himself scarce. As he made his way back to the common room he wondered about Sirius Black. He was his cousin on his mother's side, but then again, who wasn't amongst the old families? He and Pansy were related somehow, something he didn't wish to think too much about. Alaw had made some very scathing remarks about cousin-banging a few months ago which he was still annoyed about. But he didn't know very much about Black except what was taught in textbooks and the newspapers, his parents certainly never talked about him. And yet his father must have known him if he was as close to the Dark Lord as people said he was. Perhaps it was time he wrote to his father.

OoOoO

Alaw knelt by the blank wall in her bedroom, the one with the corridor directly on the other side, with the giant book she had taken out of the library open on the floor beside her. She had a piece of chalk in one hand and a string in the other. She was trying her best to draw five perfect concentric circles onto the brick, at the centre of which she had nailed the other end of the string. The book recommended one used a knife to carve the circles and the runes onto a flat surface, but Alaw didn't want this to be a permanent feature in her bedroom. If someone came investigating, she wanted to be able to dispose of the evidence quickly.

With the circles done she began scratching out the Ogham runes around the edge. Once done she sat back on her heels to admire her handwork. Hermione could have done a neater job, but the Fionn's Window would serve its purpose. It just needed one final component to complete the spell, and Alaw wasn't too thrilled about it. She picked up her potions knife and rolled up her sleeve, trying to decide where it would hurt the least to make an incision. After dithering for a minute or two, she settled on the outer part of her forearm, away from the veins.

"Aw! Son of a bitch!" she gasped, nearly dropping the knife.

It wasn't a very deep cut, barely a scratch really, but it still hurt like hell. Still muttering darkly under her breath, she flicked the knife at the etching and the lines began to glow faintly silver. After a moment the glow faded and so did the etching. Good, the rune for invisibility was doing its job then, now she just had to remember where the Window was whenever she needed it. She'd been trying to solve the problem of her confinement for a few weeks now. She needed a way of coming and going from her rooms without the Aurors knowing, otherwise she would never be able to see Emrys or conduct her investigations in the dungeons.

Finally she had remembered Professor Babbling mentioning Fionn's Window in a lecture before Christmas. It was a spell which wasn't used much anymore for it was too easy to detect and there were more effective portal spells available. But they weren't taught until fourth year and Alaw hoped nobody would notice something they weren't expecting to be there. But just in case, she resolved to drag the chest of drawers over once she was back and cover the Window. But right now she had work to do, so after putting a plaster over her arm and donning the invisibility cloak she crouched down and crawled through the Window.

OoOoO

Draco was just nodding off when he heard a faint tap on his bedroom door. Jerking awake, he peered through the gloom.

"Who's there?" he called groggily.

When no answer came he dragged himself from his bed and crossed to open the door. There was no one outside in the corridor, but there was a small pile of things waiting for him on the floor. One was a record, green, with a large X on the front, and the other was a book, _The Hunger Games_. Draco couldn't help himself from smiling as he bent to pick these up.


	18. Chapter 18

**Apologies to my ever patient readers, my fiancé and I have been moving house and we haven't yet sorted out the internet, thus the delay in my posting.**

 **Chapter 18**

 **Valentine's Day Attack**

When Alaw came down to breakfast one morning midway through February she was quite confused to find garlands of roses twisted around the banisters of the grand staircase. She made her usual way past Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle who had taken to standing guard at the doors to the Great Hall hoping to ambush her every morning for the past fortnight. Their attempts were fruitless of course because Alaw now went everywhere in the castle and the grounds under the invisibility cloak. She'd gotten so used to it that she sometimes forgot that people couldn't see her and had nearly frightened Sora Nakamura to death by bumping into him and apologising.

Leaving the Slytherins standing pointlessly at the door Alaw went to sit with the Gryffindors and – using Hermione as a shield – quickly pulled off the cloak and stuffed it in her bag.

"Morning, what's with the flowers?" she asked, noticing that the Great Hall too was full of pink and red.

"Valentine's Day isn't it?" Neville reminded her. "Any plans?"

"Oh yes big plans, let's see I'm – yes – falling asleep in front of the fire in my room again," said Alaw matter-of-factly. Neville chuckled and loaded up his plate with scrambled eggs.

"Well Ginny and I are going flying later, she wanted to go over the lake."

"Very romantic, so are you two officially a thing yet or what?"

Neville blushed and shrugged his shoulders before giving his breakfast his full attention. Alaw sighed and rolled her eyes. She knew for a fact that Ginny was feeling a little trapped by her budding relationship with Neville, what had begun as two friends attending to Yule Ball together had spiralled into something neither party really wanted. They would do better breaking it off now and moving on with their lives.

"What about you and Viktor then? First Valentine's Day as a couple, has he got anything special planned?" Alaw asked Hermione, resting her head in her hand and dragging the porridge tureen over. Hermione smiled coyly.

"He's reserved a table for us at Madam Puddifoot's, and then afterwards we're spending the night in the Three Broomsticks."

Whilst Alaw wolf whistled and Hermione shoved her away in embarrassment, Neville glanced up briefly and gave the tiniest of sighs. They almost made it through breakfast without incident, Theodore and his goons eventually gave up staking out the door and came in to eat, doing a hilarious double-take when they saw Alaw already in the hall. The girls were just making noises about getting to Charms early when Ron walked over to them. Well, perhaps swaggered was a better description. He looked happier than he had for weeks and instead of glowering at Hermione or simply ignoring her completely he greeted them quite jovially.

"Good morning! Any sausages left?"

They stared at him in surprise as he sat down next to Neville and began serving himself.

"Um, morning? Why are you so chipper today?" Alaw asked suspiciously. Ron grinned at her.

"Oh no reason. Well, I guess I'm quite excited to be going out with Lavender later. We're meeting at six, grabbing a bite to eat in the Three Broomsticks."

He skewered a sausage and took a huge bite whilst Alaw's eyebrows shot up and Hermione was pulling a face that suggested she didn't quite understand what was going on. Neville decided to fulfil his duty as the best friend and said,

"Wow, um, well done mate. That's great."

"Thanks, I just thought I'd like to hang out with a girl who was _fun_ you know? Someone who really gets me."

It was at this point that Alaw found her voice again.

"Just hold on a second there, since _when_ have you and Lavender been mates? You don't even like her!"

"Of course I like her!" Ron shot back indignantly. "Anyway she's a cracking looking bird. Why, do _you_ not like her?"

Alaw looked at Hermione for help but she merely blinked and shrugged.

"No, there's nothing wrong with Lavender, I've just never seen you two talk to each other properly," Alaw said, deciding it was best to backtrack before Ron decided to take issue.

"Well, this'll give me the chance to, won't it?" Ron said firmly.

There was no more talk of Lavender or Valentine's Day plans for the rest of the meal. Hermione didn't seem upset or angry by Ron's tactless announcement, but she was a little quieter than usual during lessons that day. Alaw kept glancing at her to make sure she was handling everything alright and nearly lost control of her freezing charm in Professor Flitwick's class. Luckily she noticed that her wand was listing to the left and brought it back just in time to avoid catching Daphne in the back of the head with the spell.

Late morning was taken up Transfiguration where everyone successfully vanished their caged robin for the first time that year, before they all went off to lunch. Alaw took her meal in her rooms to throw off Theodore but when she arrived she found an exhausted and slightly frozen bat sitting on her windowsill. Recognising the creature as Hagrid's, she crossed the room and murmured a few words to lower the ward on the window before opening it. The bat bore a message on its leg and Alaw set it beside the fire so it could warm up whilst she read the missive.

 _Alaw,_

 _Olympe and me have decided to make a small trip to an animal husbandry fair this afternoon, a few towns over. I was hoping you could come down to the hut and take care of Emrys and Snuffles overnight, because Olympe has booked rooms in the local inn for us. Sorry to bother you,_

 _Hagrid_

It wasn't precisely necessary for Emrys to have around the clock care nowadays but Alaw knew Hagrid didn't like leaving him alone overnight. Plus she had no classes this afternoon and no hot date to keep her occupied tonight so she wrote her assent on the back of the letter and sent the resigned bat back out into the grounds. After spending a couple of hours completing an essay for Professor Binns, Alaw donned her boots, think winter cloak and – more importantly – her invisibility cloak. Her Finn's Window was still working well and nobody had found it yet. Proudfoot, the Auror on duty, didn't even turn his head when she crawled through the magical exit and tip-toed away down the corridor. She wasn't feeling entirely content today for some reason and on the long walk down to the hut she tried to work out why. She supposed it had something to do with Valentine's Day. She'd never been too bothered about it before, never having had much interest in the boys she knew from home. Most had either been such good friends they were like brothers to her, or horribly cruel and spiteful, making fun of her for everything.

But now, at Hogwarts, she was surrounded by young men who hadn't seen her go through the awkward transition of puberty. Here she had a real chance of finding an adult relationship. But so far this year she hadn't been very lucky. Bill had completely turned her down in favour of Fleur Delacour, who was now his very serious girlfriend. As for Draco, well, Alaw wasn't even sure there had been anything between them in the first place. By now she had allowed herself to be physically attracted to him, but anything that could have come from that had been killed by Draco himself. At least they were on civil terms again and she was currently reading another Amelia Abbot novel he'd left on her work station in the library.

When she reached the cabin she let herself in as usual and found Hagrid wearing his most appalling suit and attempting to do something with his hair.

"Why don't you just cut it, if you want it neater?" she asked, wincing as Hagrid dragged a comb through the wild mane and several of the teeth snapped off.

"Nah, never 'ave the patience for all that nonsense," he huffed.

Emrys was watching Hagrid's attempts at grooming from the sofa in quite a confused way.

' _What is he doing to himself?'_ the dragon asked curiously.

' _Grooming himself, ready to go and see the Big Lady,'_ Alaw explained, taking Hagrid by the elbow and guiding him over to a chair. Once she'd sat him down she began picking the comb's teeth out of his hair and then she picked up a sturdier brush.

' _Ah,'_ said Emrys in a tone that clearly meant he thought himself worldly. _'He is going away to attract a female to mate with!'_

Hagrid yelped as Alaw accidentally jerked the brush through a tangle because she'd burst out laughing. Half an hour later she had tied his hair back into a pony tail using strong leather cords and he looked presentable enough.

"Thanks fer doing this, Al," said Hagrid gratefully. "There's stew in the pot on the stove, jes heat it up as yer like. An there's a steak defrosting in the sink so mind that Snuffles don't get at it. Yer know where everything is if yer want a cuppa, so help yerself. Yer sure you'll be alright?"

"Of course I'll be ok, I've got a dragon protecting me! Now you go and have fun now."

Hagrid was blushing like mad as he took his leave and Alaw chuckled to herself. After raiding the pantry for biscuits she plonked herself on the sofa with Draco's book, not intending to move from there until she'd finished it. Emrys was only too happy to leave her be and he quickly dozed off in front of the fire. Snuffles however came over and started sniffing the platter of bourbons.

"No! Bad dog, shoo!" Alaw chided, waving Snuffles away sternly. "Chocolate's bad for dogs. Go on bugger off, you've got food in your bowl if you're hungry."

Snuffles gave her a deeply disgusted look before skulking off to his bowl in the corner. Sometimes that dog seemed almost human. It had fallen dark outside by the time Alaw reached the final chapter of the novel but she was startled by a knock on the door. In alarm, she looked to Emrys.

' _Brown Haired Female,'_ he said, almost boredly. With a sigh of relief Alaw put the book aside and got up to open the door. Hermione stood on the porch, looking half frozen and extremely angry.

"What are you doing here?" Alaw asked in confusion. "I thought you were going to dinner with Viktor."

Hermione stalked over threshold and threw her cloak onto one of the kitchen chairs.

"He cancelled on me," she growled furiously. "Karkaroff is forcing the team to practise all night, something about building up their stamina and resistance to the cold. People have been saying the next match might last into the night so Karkaroff wanted to be prepared."

"Oh Hermione, I'm sorry, that is so not fair," said Alaw sympathetically. Hermione slumped into Hagrid's massive armchair, her feet dangling about a foot off the ground and her face screwed up.

"I mean, I understand they need to train, I really do!" she whined, her voice threatening tears. "But it's Valentine's Day! I've never had a date on Valentine's Day before, and it's only one night."

"I know, it's bang out of order," Alaw agreed, bustling around the kitchen preparing the traditional conciliatory cup of tea. She also put the oven on to heat up the stew. Hermione scrubbed a hand across her face irritably and sniffed.

"Sorry, I know it's silly to get upset over something so little."

"It's not little!" Alaw insisted, pushing the tea into Hermione's hands and wondering if Hagrid had some wine stashed away. "This is the third time he's cancelled something with you and it's not like it was just a normal night, you had special plans!"

She retreated to the sofa and let Hermione take a few gulps of tea, wondering if the time had come to speak her mind.

"Um, Hermione, mate, I know you might not want to hear this," she began carefully. "But – maybe it's time you ended things with Viktor."

Hermione looked up sharply from her mug, a deep frown on her face.

"Over something like this? Don't be stupid, it's not Viktor's fault that Karkaroff is a mean old bastard."

"I know it isn't, but is it really worth sticking with someone who treats you so off-handedly? He hardly ever makes time for the two of you. And be honest, what have you really got in common? What do you talk about?"

But it seemed that Alaw was wasting her breath. Hermione insisted that she and Viktor had plenty in common and Alaw decided it wasn't a good idea to press the issue. They ate their stew in silence until Hermione broke it.

"I saw Ron just before I came down, he didn't look very happy."

"Really? That was a short revenge date. I wonder if Lavender worked out what he was doing."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, puzzled, and Alaw rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, it's painfully obvious that he only asked her out to get back at you for going out with Viktor. Pathetically juvenile really, wizards really do mature a lot slower than muggles."

At least Alaw succeeded in making Hermione laugh. Whilst she went to do the washing up, Emrys wandered over to put his head in Alaw's lap.

' _Why is Brown Haired Female sad?'_ he asked curiously and Alaw sighed, wondering how best to explain this in Parseltongue.

' _She – her mate said they were going to eat together tonight but he changed his mind.'_

' _So Brown Haired Female is sad that she didn't get to mate tonight,_ ' Emrys concluded, looking rather pleased with himself at having worked it out. Alaw shook her head at him and wondered where this new found obsession with mating had come from. After a pause Emrys said,

' _Red Haired Male is angry with her, why?_ '

' _Oh he's – jealous,_ ' Alaw said, pausing to see if such a word existed in Parseltongue and discovering that it did. _'He wants to, well, mate with Brown Haired Female but he can't because she already has a mate.'_

' _Red Haired Male should challenge the Alpha,'_ Emrys said at once. ' _Bite his neck and tail.'_

Alaw didn't like to think what would happen if Ron decided to do something that idiotic. It certainly wouldn't impress Hermione and Karkaroff would skin him alive. She explained that humans didn't do that sort of thing and Emrys gave an irritated snort.

' _Humans are stupid,'_ he grumbled.

Well, he was right about that part. Hermione decided she would rather stay in the cabin that night rather than venture out into the freezing darkness, so they dragged more blankets out of the airing cupboard and wrapped themselves warmly up. They played Sevens and Rummy until about midnight before sleep caught up with them and they put their heads down on the sofa cushions. Emrys tried getting under the blanket with Alaw but he was far too large, so he grumpily lay down by the fire beside Snuffles.

Alaw had just drifted off into true slumber with her mouth half open when she was disturbed by something poking her ribs. She awoke with a strange snort and looked blearily down at Emrys who was nudging her with his snout. It was hard to make him out because the fire had died in the grate.

' _What?'_ she hissed slurrily. Something had the dragon in distress, all the spikes along his back were standing on end and his tail was twitching. A second later there was a flash of lightning outside and the low rumble of thunder, and Emrys jumped out of his skin.

' _Shush, it's alright,'_ Alaw said softly, reaching out to stroke his head. _'It's just a storm.'_

' _No! Danger, there is a human male outside, Black Dog senses danger.'_

Alaw looked up sharply and saw that Snuffles had his hackles raised and was growling at the door. Then there came an almighty crash as something – or someone – bashed against the other side. The door shook but held and Hermione awoke with a scream.

"What was that?!" she cried shrilly, jumping off the sofa just as Alaw did the same.

"Someone's trying to break in!" Alaw breathed fearfully, snatching up her wand and backing away from the door to the far wall. Hermione joined her and Emrys quivered against them.

"Sirius Black?!" Hermione whispered.

BANG!

Another attempt on the door but it didn't burst open. All magical dwellings had wards carved into the lintel and hearth stones, but they couldn't hold forever against a determined attacker. And not all parts of the hut were protected thus. The girls screamed as the axe which Hagrid kept on the porch for chopping wood smashed through the window next to the door. They glimpsed a dark figure beyond it, blurred by the pounding rain.

"Flipendo!" Alaw shouted and a jet of blue light flew through the shattered glass and struck the intruder. They heard a grunt as he fell backwards. "What do we do?! I can't do a proper stunner," Alaw whimpered.

"I can try," said Hermione, taking careful aim ready for when the attacker reappeared.

But Snuffles took matters into his own hands. Before the man came back to the window or Hermione could fire her spell, the hound bounded towards the hole and leapt through it. They heard his barking outside and screams from the attacker for a few minutes, until all was quiet once more. The three of them stood pressed against the wall for another minute until the shock wore off and they let out the breaths they didn't know they been holding.

OoOoO

When the first light of dawn crept into the cabin through the unbroken windows, it illuminated the mess inside. Almost all the furniture had been pushed against the door and heavy boxes were piled against the broken window. Hermione and Alaw were huddled together under a single blanket in the far corner. Each had their wands clutched loosely in their hands and Alaw's head was lolling onto Hermione shoulder. She jerked awake with a start and looked wildly around, but all was still in the cabin and the only sound outside was the twittering of birds. Then something stirred in the corner of her eye and she turned her head.

"Hermione," she hissed, shaking her friend slightly. "Hermione look!"

Hermione grumbled and peered blearily at where Alaw was pointing. Emrys had his front claws up on the sink, and he was chewing happily on Hagrid's defrosted steak.

"He's eating!" Alaw said happily. "He's eating all by himself."

OoOoO

The sun began to make a valiant effort to shine as February drew to a close, though the bitter winds made this a largely symbolic struggle. The weather however was decent enough for Alaw to go walking into the forest with Hagrid and Snuffles, for the time had finally come to find Emrys a home of his own. It was a relief really, for he was getting far too big to fit in the tiny cabin and he was even more curious and full of energy than ever before. Far from being annoyed at the loss of his steak, Hagrid had been delighted and had wiped a tear from his eye.

"They grow up so fast," he said, grinning proudly.

The groundskeeper knew of a number of caves and overhangs about half a mile away around the edge of the Black Lake, not too deep in the forest but far enough that no one would stumble upon the new nesting sight. They had selected the perfect cave, deep enough to allow shelter from the rain but with a wide entrance facing the water. It wasn't Emrys' natural habitat of rolling valleys and rocky peaks, but it was close enough. They had tried to make the cave as authentic as possible by consulting the old dragon breeding textbooks to see how a proper dragon nest was built. It wasn't made of sticks and leaves like a bird's next for obvious reasons, but rather piles of stones, heated and cracked by the dragon's breath.

Unfortunately Emrys' fire breathing abilities only allowed him to cough out puffs of smoke at this moment and would barely light a matchstick. So Alaw used her wand to fire the stones for him and they succeeded in creating quite a comfortable living space for him. Explaining that he would be out here on his own was an altogether trickier task. Mother dragons did leave their young in the nests when they went hunting but not at night. To get him used to the new living situation, Alaw had pretty much spent a whole weekend camping out in the woods with Snuffles standing guard and Hagrid dropping by every day. Hermione had gone spare when Alaw proposed the plan.

"You can't spend two nights out in the forest by yourself!" she had shrieked. "Even if none of the other things in there get you, Sirius Black is out there, you know he is!"

They had decided not to tell Hagrid about the attack on the cabin, not wanting to spoil his Valentine's Day. They had put the furniture to rights and fixed the window, and come across Snuffles looking very pleased with himself on the front porch.

"I won't be alone, I'll have Snuffles and Emrys there, and I'll be under the invisibility cloak, no one will even know I'm out there," Alaw insisted.

So, that was how she found herself sitting beside Emrys on top of the rocky outcrop he now called home, watching Snuffles chasing butterflies. Weak sunlight was shining through the trees and the forest looked so peaceful that it was almost possible to forget about all the murderous creatures which lived in it. Alaw was watching a lone Centaur which had appeared in the distance. It was quite far away, but Alaw thought it might be a female, with a bow slung over one shoulder. She didn't seem hostile, she was just standing on the ridge watching them. Alaw raised a hand and waved but the Centaur didn't respond. After a minute or two she disappeared.

' _Are you really my mother?'_ Emrys asked suddenly. Alaw looked down at him in some surprise for he had been quiet for a while.

' _No,'_ she replied softly. Emrys nodded his great spiked head.

' _I didn't think so, you don't look or smell like me. Where is my mother?'_

' _I don't know, your egg was stolen from her by bad humans. When you are grown, I'm going to take you to live with other dragons.'_

' _I don't think I will call you mother anymore,'_ Emrys decided bluntly. _'But I can't say you're human name.'_

' _Call me…'_ Alaw paused and thought about it, then produced the hiss which meant 'song', or more specifically 'melodious roar'. Her name meant song after all and it seemed more fitting.

And so, this conversation marked the end of Emrys' babyhood. He wasn't an adult yet, but he was ready learn. His relationship with Alaw changed subtly to be one of friendship rather than dependence. She ran with him through the forest as he hunted rabbits and foxes; and pointed out which trees held bird's nest he could raid. He turned out to be quite a skilled climber, his sharp claws gripping the bark of a trunk tightly as he scaled. Alaw even tried helping him to fly, pushing him off the ground and clumsily flapping her arms to indicate what he should do. All he could manage at the moment were a few frantic feet before crashing into the dirt, looking so much like a startled chicken that Alaw fell about laughing.

Alaw was so engrossed in the lessons that she barely remembered to go and see Ron's next Quidditch match. Hogwarts and the Tasman Institute did fierce battle for a couple of hours in driving rain but the host school emerged triumphant. Ron was jubilant and spent an entire night celebrating out in the village with the rest of the team. He didn't come back until breakfast the following morning.

"You know, Daphne isn't so bad for a Slytherin," he said when he joined his friends at the Gryffindor table. Hermione melted away to go and talk to Viktor. "She can be quite fun once she deals with that stick up her arse."

"Well I'm glad you said that cause I've had a thought," said Alaw. "You know it's my birthday in a couple of weeks right? I was going to have a party in my rooms like we did last year. If I invited the whole school team, do you think they'd come?"

"Yeah!" said Ron enthusiastically. "Invite some of the others too, you'll have people queueing out in the corridor to get in."

"Proudfoot and Savage will have to take over as bouncers then," Alaw grinned, wondering how the two Aurors would react to her birthday plans. She'd probably have to clear it with them first.

"You know I'll have to invite Viktor right? He's Hermione's boyfriend and it's only fair," she reminded Ron who instantly scowled.

"Oh I suppose," he grouched. "Invite the smarmy git if you must."

"I will, seeing as it's my birthday and I can do as I damn well please," Alaw said coolly. "And you'd better not start anything Ron. I mean it, best behaviour."

With warnings issued and the guest list settled, the party plans shaped up nicely and by the end of the week, most of the school seemed to be talking about it. Now all that was left to be done was inform her guards.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note – Many thanks to my guest reviewer. As much as I love Harry, I think his story is done and he deserves to be left alone. But there is so much more to know about the wizarding world, that's what I love writing about.**

 **Chapter 19**

 **The Silver Dragon**

Though she hadn't intended for it to become a routine, Alaw now slipped out of the castle almost every night to go and make sure Emrys was settled. She'd finally convinced him to stay put in his cave and no longer had to sleep out there in the forest with him, but she liked to check, just in case. She had by now lost all faith in the Auror office as Proudfoot and Savage continued to be oblivious to her night-time jaunts. If Sirius Black did break into the castle again they would probably be completely useless.

It was still fairly early and a number of students were still out in the corridors. As Alaw neared the foot of the marble staircase she saw Draco and Pansy come in through the oak front doors. Pansy had her arm looped through Draco's and was looking rather smug. Alaw fingered the handle of her wand longingly and gave in to the temptation.

"Ouch!" Pansy squealed as her feet were hooked by the invisible trip jinx. She went crashing to the door but Draco made no attempt to save her from the fall. All around them people burst into laughter.

"Who did that?! Who jinxed me?!" Pansy shrieked, picking herself up and glaring around the crowd.

Alaw couldn't suppress a bubble of laughter escaping her lips. Draco's head whipped around and he gazed suspiciously at a spot just to the left of where Alaw stood. She took a few discreet steps back just in case he investigated but instead he turned to Pansy with an irritated frown.

"Oh shut up will you?" he snapped. "It's probably just Peeves. Or those ridiculous shoes you're wearing, I'm surprised you didn't trip earlier!"

A cruel smile curled Alaw's lips as the two bickered on their way to the dungeons. That had been incredibly petty, but oh so satisfying. She knew there was nothing she could do to sabotage the relationship given that it was an arranged match, but that didn't stop her from trying. When most of the people in the vicinity had either moved on or weren't paying attention, Alaw crossed the doors and eased one open so she could slip out.

It was a clear night but the grass was glistening with droplets from the rain earlier in the day. With nobody around to hear Alaw strode quickly towards the spot where the forest and the lake met, shivering in the piercing wind and stepping into the shelter of the trees with relief. She didn't fear the forest the way Hermione and the boys did. She had never come across anything dangerous in there, the only creatures she ever saw were rabbits, birds and occasionally the centaurs, and all they did was watch her from a distance. Once she had spotted a unicorn standing in a clearing and she had been so moved by how beautiful it was, she had stood there for a full ten minutes watching it.

Of course, Alaw had never ventured into the deep wood, instead hugging the edge of the lake and staying within the area Emrys had marked as his territory. No doubt the monsters of school legend lived further in and she had no desire to go hunting for them. Even as she was thinking this, Alaw heard a twig snap behind her and she whipped around, her wand at the ready. The trees were dark but the moonlight shining on the surface of the lake was helpful. She couldn't see anything but Alaw got the unpleasant sense that she was being watched. She wasn't far from the edge of Emrys' hunting grounds, maybe he was playing games with her.

' _Emrys?_ ' she called. _'It's only me, there's no need to hide.'_

There was no answer, but she did catch a glimpse of movement close by, a strange shimmer in the air. Panicking, Alaw sent a jet of red light in that direction and a startled voice called,

"Calm down Jones, it's only me! No need to shoot my head off."

Draco rippled into view, the disillusionment charm falling away as he brushed himself off. Alaw was furious.

"Draco you little shit! What are you doing sneaking around after people?! How did you even know I was here?!" she cried, throwing down the hood of the invisibility cloak so that she could be seen.

Her heart was thudding, if Emrys appeared now all hell was going to break loose. He'd have to leave Hogwarts! Hagrid would surely be sacked and she, Alaw, would be expelled and hauled up in front of the Wizengamot.

"I heard you laugh in the Entrance Hall so I waited by the archway to the dungeons and watched. The front doors opening of their own accord was a bit of a give-away, and then I saw you're footsteps in the grass on the way down here."

Draco was eyeing her with a smug expression and Alaw crossed her arms uncomfortably, still scowling.

"How did you know it was me though? I could have been anyone! You could have been following Sirius Black down here for all you knew."

"Nobody else in this castle has a cloak like that Jones, I don't think you understand just how rare they are. Now the obvious question, what in the name of Merlin are you down out here?"

Alaw sighed theatrically.

"Alright, you caught me. I'm in cahoots with Sirius Black, we're trying to bring down the Ministry. I was coming out here to meet with him but you caught me, well done, now let's go back to the castle before something turns up to eat us."

Unfortunately for Alaw, that something had already arrived. Draco was just opening his mouth to answer her sarcasm with some witty remark of his own when they heard an ominous growl behind them. Alaw turned with dread to see Emrys emerge from behind a bush, his teeth bared and his body crouched, ready to spring.

"Oh no," Alaw groaned as Draco gasped and raised his wand to cast a stunner and Emrys leapt towards them.

"STUPI – "

"NO!" Alaw shouted, tackling Draco to the floor so that his stunner went wide and Emrys didn't maw him to death. The dragon landed on the other side of them and skidded around, roaring horribly. Alaw leapt to her feet and put her hands up to the startled animal.

' _Stop! Emrys stop, he's a friend, this is my friend, Draco. See? There's no danger.'_

' _He is a male! Strange males are dangerous, he will use his magic to kill me so he can mate with you!'_ Emrys hissed in distress, trying to get at Draco but Alaw grabbed hold of his head and held him back.

' _Emrys I'm not a dragon and I'm not you're mother, remember? Draco isn't going to hurt either of us.'_

Quite the opposite in fact, Draco was pressed against the nearest tree and was quivering from head to foot, his eyes wide in terror. Once Emrys had been calmed somewhat, Alaw turned to her fellow Slytherin.

"You frightening him," she panted and Draco quickly found his voice again.

"I frightened him – _I_ frightened him?! For fuck's sake Alaw! It's a dragon! I can't believe that stupid great oaf kept it! I thought you said it was taken care of ages ago! And since when can you speak Parseltongue?"

"Since forever, I was born with it," said Alaw, looking at Draco in utter confusion. "And how on earth did you know Hagrid had a dragon in the first place?"

"I followed you down to his hut that night the foreign teams arrived, you were very obviously up to something dodgy. I saw it hatch, through the window. But I thought that Weasley's brother took it away with him when he left! What are you doing keeping a dragon in the bloody forest?!"

"Stop following me around!" Alaw growled. Sensing the mounting tension, Emrys became skittish again and pawed the ground nervously. Alaw put a hand on his head and took a breath to calm herself.

"Look, if you come with me to Emrys' nest I'll explain everything."

For a moment Alaw was sure Draco was going to refuse and run screaming for the castle, but he nodded reluctantly and stood well back as the dragon went past him. As Emrys padded ahead, occasionally looking back to check that no funny business was going on, Alaw and Draco walked side by side in his wake. She recounted exactly what had happened the night the teams arrived, as Draco hadn't had a clear view through the window and didn't hear the whole story. She explained the difficulty of the magical imprint, and her Druidic ancestry, and Charlie's opinion that Emrys should stay here until he was old enough to hunt and fly on his own.

"So he's got a few more months to go before he's fully grown," Alaw concluded. "Charlie said a whole year would be best but we're think of moving him to the dragon reserve in Snowdonia this summer, when everyone's gone away."

They had by now reached the cave and they were sitting on the lip overlooking the lake, their legs dangling over the edge. Emrys was curled up in the recess below them.

"I used to read stories about the Druids and their dragons," Draco said, shaking his head. "When I was little, I used to love pretending I was a dragon rider. But I never imagined it was real."

"Dragon rider?" Alaw asked curiously.

"Of course, the Druids who bonded with their dragons flew on their backs, that's why the Romans feared them so much. It was rare of course, not every dragon took to their rider, even if they bonded at hatching like you did. But it would be a shame not to try."

Alaw snorted, the idea of her flying at any height was ludicrous. Hagrid and the others would practically have to knock her unconscious before she went anywhere near a saddle. She watched Emrys cleaning his scales below for a while before looking at Draco in earnest.

"Please don't tell anyone about him," she said softly. "They'll take him away, and snap my wand in half for good measure."

Draco gave her a contemptuous look.

"Came on Jones, do you really think I would? I'm not a complete arsehole you know, despite what Weasley and company might say."

A grateful smile spread over Alaw's face and she reached over to squeeze Draco's hand.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Sometime later, when Draco decided to head back to the castle, Alaw watched him go with a thoughtful expression. Emrys raised himself onto his hind quarters so he could put his front claws on the lip next to Alaw.

' _Is that male your mate?'_ he asked and Alaw started out of here reverie.

' _No! He's just a friend.'_

Emrys sniffed and tasted the air.

' _He wishes to mate with you, I can smell it,'_ he said smugly, with something startlingly like a grin. Alaw scowled and pushed him away.

OoOoO

It was with an air of great excitement that Alaw tracked down her friends on the day of her birthday. Her parents had simply sent her some money as a gift this year and she had just spent the better part of the morning spending it, and she couldn't wait to show the Gryffindors the results.

"Hermione!" she crowed, bounding into the Common Room and waving her fist in the air. "Check it out, how cool am I!?"

She thrust her arm under her best friend's nose so she could admire the small tattoo now etched on the inside of her wrist. It was barely larger than a two pence piece but it was perfect and already healed using magic, so there was no need for ugly cling film. It was an acorn and a single oak leaf.

"I can't believe you actually got it," Hermione tutted, holding her hand so she could take a proper look.

"I know, my parents are going to kill me!" Alaw said proudly, grinning from ear to ear. "I got Tracy Davis to do it for me, she's got quite a talent. So what do you think?"

"Very tasteful, and appropriate. Showing cultural pride then?"

"Of course, I am a Druid after all."

Ron and Neville also approved of the tattoo and Alaw dropped onto the sofa beside Hermione happily.

"So is everything set for the party tonight?" she asked. "You're all coming right?"

The second years in the vicinity all nodded enthusiastically. Interest in the party had taken a definite upswing when word got out that several members of the foreign teams would be attending, including Amira and Sabeen, Alaw's friends from Ancient Runes, Candice, and of course Viktor Krum. There was even a rumour going around that some of the Ravenclaws were going to bring members of the Uagadou team with whom they were friendly. What had started as a small gathering of close friends was ballooning into quite an event.

Seeing Fred and George enter through the portrait hole, Alaw bounced up and went to accost them.

"Hey, I just wanted to check about the food for tonight, how much do I owe you?" she asked, whipping out her coin bag briskly.

"Oh forget about it, it's your birthday! It's not like we're cooking the stuff ourselves," Fred chuckled, pushing the bag down but Alaw was insistent.

"No no no, come on, how much? No one else I know can get rustle up stuff from the kitchen as quickly as you two. And you're getting the drinks so that's quite expensive."

"Al, the kitchens are giving the stuff away, they love it! Consider this a present. Oh Hermione, you're boyfriend wants a word outside. Cadogan won't let him in."

Hermione looked up from her O.W.L practise paper in some surprise and hurried over to the portrait hole. Alaw had been running through the list of things the twins needed to bring for about a minute when raised voices were heard outside in the corridor. Well, Hermione's raised voice anyway.

"And you wanted half a dozen bottles of Gillywater," George mused, noting it down. "And –"

But Alaw, Ginny and Neville all shushed him, staring at the back of the Cadogan's frame, along with half the Common Room.

"But you said you could come this time, you promised!" Hermione shouted. "You said you'd come to the party tonight to make up for missing Valentine's Day! How much practise could you possibly need?! Loads of other people from the school teams are coming, they're managing to survive one night without practise!"

They heard a muffled mumble which they couldn't make out but whatever it was did not impress Hermione.

"Oh sod Karkaroff! I'm not asking for a lot here, Viktor, I'm just asking for one night when we can spend time together and have some fun!"

People were beginning to snigger and Alaw sighed, deciding it was probably time to intervene before Hermione embarrassed herself further. After jotting down the last few items on George's list she marched out into the corridor to break up the argument.

OoOoO

"Typical!" Hermione growled, shoving on the sofa with all her might. "Men are so typical."

"Yeah, fuck men," Alaw agreed dutifully, also pushing.

They were trying to clear a space in the middle of her sitting room for dancing but the sofa was proving heavier than they had imagined. Of course they could have used magic, but Hermione needed to do something physical to blow off some steam. Viktor had apparently made some unwelcome comments about Alaw and the boys before she had arrived on the scene and now Hermione was furious with him.

"So what did he say exactly?" Alaw asked once they'd managed to put the sofa up against the wall next to the food table. It was yet to be filled, but the drinks table on the other side already held a couple of bottles of muggle alcohol, the very last of their stash. Hermione gave a great huff.

"Oh something about you lot not liking him and it making him feel uncomfortable. I wonder if that's not the real reason he's not coming to the party."

Alaw had been wondering that too but hadn't wanted to say anything. It was true that she could have been a little nicer to Viktor but she was honestly just glad that the relationship seemed to be coming to a close. She supposed she ought to be a better friend.

"Here," Alaw said, pouring out a glass of white wine for Hermione, and a Vodka and Coke for herself. "Forget about Viktor for tonight, it's his own fault for missing out on the fun. I'm going to get ready, it's already eight o clock!"

Eschewing wizarding fashion, Alaw put on one of her muggle dresses from home. It was black and scandalously short to wizarding eyes but she didn't care. She'd already instructed her guards to deny entry to any reporter or anyone on the short list she'd given them. It wouldn't do to have Theodore's gang trying to gate-crash. Fred and George were the first to arrive, levitating a mountain of food before them and setting it down gently on the table. Next came Neville and Ron, whom Alaw had taken aside earlier in the day. She had told him in no uncertain terms that if he started anything with Hermione at the party, he would be kicked out.

Ginny was also with them, but not holding Neville's hand as she usually did. Alaw wanted to ask him about it but she had other guests to greet.

"I thought you said it would only be a handful of people," Proudfoot muttered as a gaggle of Hufflepuffs arrived with Candice in tow. Alaw shrugged.

"Change of plans," she said innocently. "I couldn't well refuse people could I? Not without explaining to them about Sirius Black."

Her living room wasn't massive and by ten o'clock it was brimming with people. Alaw had set up her magical record player in the corner of the room and Hermione was going through the music on offer with a sceptical air. The turn table spun without any need for electricity or a crank, one simply tapped it twice with one's wand, but it didn't seem to mind playing muggle records too.

"Why have you got so much David Guetta?" Hermione called over the heads of the crowd.

"Coz he's great! Put some on, or Ed Sheeran," Alaw answered.

"Oh no not him again," came a voice behind her. She turned and saw Cameron standing there, smiling at her.

"Cameron!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. "When did you get here? And no Flora tonight?"

"Oh she's holed up in her room in the dungeons," Cameron said dismissively. Alaw paused and frowned at him in confusion. He grinned at her smugly and she ran her eye up and down the length of his body. Then her eyes settled on his arm, which was bare, in Cameron's usual style. The cogs whirred in her head until something clicked.

"Draco?" she said tentatively and he looked taken aback.

"Yes, how did you guess?" he asked reproachfully. She indicated his arm.

"You forgot the ACDC tattoo, and the earring. Polyjuice potion doesn't mimic cosmetic additions to the body. Where did you get it?"

"I made it," Draco said, with a hint of pride. "It's been insufferable in the Common Room since you got Theodore's uncle arrested, he's been storming around accusing everyone of being in league with you. So I've been spending a lot of time in the Potions Lab, trying out some recipes I haven't done before. When I heard you were having this bash I thought I'd test out my latest creation."

"What if the real Cameron was here tonight?"

"Unlikely, since he is also in Flora's room."

Alaw snorted in amusement then glanced around to see if anyone else was paying attention to their conversation. An argument had broken out over by the record playing between Hermione and Lavender, each of whom were clutching albums to their chests. Draco coughed to bring her attention back to him.

"Anyway I just wanted to stop by quickly and give you this," he said rather sheepishly now, handing her a small box which rattled as though it held jewellery. "You did save me from being mauled by a dragon so this is my way of thanking you. So now we're even."

Inside the box was a beautiful silver neckless, from which hung a red gemstone with a dragon wrapped about it. The dragon's eyes were inlaid with the same stone and they blinked as Alaw peered at them.

"Oh my – Draco this is gorgeous!" she gasped. "Please tell me you didn't spend a fortune on it."

"Money is no object," Draco said, dismissively. "I placed a protective charm on the garnet, nothing fancy, just a mild shield charm that'll block minor jinxes. I thought it might be useful next time Theodore tries something in the corridors."

Alaw felt her face grow warm and she busied herself by putting the neckless on to conceal how touched she was. Just then a new song began to permeate the room and Alaw sighed.

"Queen, looks like Hermione won then."

Draco frowned and looked over at the muggleborns who had begun to sing boisterously, including Hermione, who seemed to be quite determined to enjoy the party.

"It's not too bad," he conceded. "Better than that rubbish you made me listen to."

"Everyone's a critic," Alaw grumbled. "Come on, I'll get you a drink."

She dragged Draco over to the drinks table and ignored his feeble bleating about needing to get back. Her hand hovered over the bottles for a moment before she plucked up some Jagermeister and a can of energy drink.

"Here," she said, shoving a glass into Draco's hand. "Down that in one, that's how we did it back home."

"Look I really have to go," said Draco, putting the drink down at once. "Polyjuice only lasts and hour and I only popped up to give you the present."

Alaw felt her heart sink with disappointment but she tried to hide it.

"Oh, yeah ok. Thanks again, this is really lovely."

She fingered the neckless and impulsively hugged Draco again before he could escape. His cheeks coloured a little and he nodded stiffly before heading for the door. Alaw watched him go regretfully before picking up his abandoned drink and throwing it back in one.

OoOoO

The stands of the Quidditch Pitch were packed to bursting point for the quarter final between Durmstrang and Beauxbatons at the end of March. The weather was ideal, dry, but with enough cloud cover to minimise the risk of being blinded by sunlight, or so Ron told Alaw as they made their way along the row. A couple of stands over they could see Ludo Bagman and the members of staff who had come to see the match. Karkaroff and Madam Maxime were sitting next to each other in a show of good sportsmanship, but it could not have been plainer from their expressions that each was desperate for their school to win. Alaw wasn't supporting anyone in particular but Hermione was wearing a Durmstrang scarf to show support for Viktor, with whom she had patched things up following their row before Alaw's birthday.

The party had been a modest success and had been closed down by the Aurors at around three in the morning for being too rowdy. Those who had attended seemed to have enjoyed themselves and nobody had noticed 'Cameron' enter or leave the room, except the Aurors of course. Alaw had taken to wearing the neckless Draco had given her all the time and it had saved her from a nasty fall down the stairs a few days ago when she'd been caught unawares by a trip jinx from Goyle. He had been most put out when the spell bounced off Alaw's invisible shields and smacked him right on the forehead. The sight of him spread eagled on the fourth floor landing had made Alaw's day.

The two teams walked onto the pitch and a huge roar greeted them from the stands. The Durmstrang team were dressed in dark crimson like their school robes, and the Beaxbatons players were in powder blue. The walked towards each other, stopping at the centre of the pitch where Madam Hooch waited with the chest containing the balls. She kicked it open and the two Bludgers shot into the air, circling the players menacingly. There was flash of gold as the Snitch flew free of the box but it disappeared from sight almost at once.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch, and two of the players walked forwards to comply.

"How come Viktor isn't the captain of Durmstrang?" Alaw asked curiously, peering through her binoculars at Krum's hunched figure at the back of the group.

"He's probably rubbish at tactics," said Ron dismissively. "He's a good Seeker, but good flying doesn't mean good captaining."

" _Welcome all to the Quarter Final of the Quidditch Tournament_!" Ludo Bagman's voice boomed out across the pitch. " _The teams are in position, the Quaffle ready to go – aaaand they're off!"_

Alaw hadn't seen a Viktor play before, not being too bothered by Quidditch thus far, so she was caught off guard by how fast he soared through the air, turning so sharply that she cricked hr neck trying to follow his progress. The Quaffle changed hands so quickly she could hardly keep track even though Bagman called out the names of each player as they caught it. At first Durmstrang had possession but a Beauxbatons player snatched it away from them after about a minute and sped towards the goals.

She managed to score, but was caught in the stomach by a bludger even as the bell rang to signal the point. She doubled over, hugging the broom to stay on it, but recovered fairly quickly, re-joining the game to help her teammates recapture the Quaffle. Even Alaw could tell this was going to be a close match. After twenty minutes each team had scored half a dozen times a piece.

The Chasers were too well matched to make much of a difference to the score, as first one side scored a goal, then the other. It looked like it was going to go on like that forever until it was all over in a streak of red and blue. Alaw had stopped paying attention to Viktor as he wasn't doing anything interesting so she was caught off guard as he zoomed past her in a vertical dive, the Beauxbatons Seeker hot on his tail.

" _And I think Mr Krum has seen the Snitch!"_ Bagman gasped and as one the standium rose to its feet, screaming their Seekers on. _"Yes! They're neck and neck, this is going to be close Ladies and Gentlemen!"_

It was close. Viktor caught the Snitch just a meter from the ground and pulled out of the dive smoothly. Camille Dubois wasn't so lucky, she hit the ground at full speed and Alaw gave a small scream. Surely no one could survive a collision like that! But as Mediwizards ran onto the pitch to revive her, she seemed to be alive. Hardly anyone else seemed to notice, they was all jumping up and down and cheering Viktor Krum as he did a lap of honour of the pitch, the Snitch held high in his fist. He came to hover by the Hogwarts end of the stands and Hermione leant over the railing to give him a kiss on the cheek. Alaw looked at Ron who was stony faced. It was now unavoidable, Hogwarts would play either Durmstrang or Mohutokoro in the Final in May.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note – I know, it's been bloody ages, but I've been writing stuff for Keys to the Kingdom and that poor fandom is much more in need of stories than Harry Potter right now. But I finally got this chapter to behave and turn out the way I wanted.**

 **Chapter 20**

 **Keeping Secrets**

A fire was crackling in a nearby grate, and something huge was curled up on the worn and faded carpet before it. A snake, a gigantic snake with poisonous green scales and watchful yellow eyes. Voldemort was sitting in an armchair in front of the fireplace, his fingers caressing the handle of a wand. He had missed this wand but he had lost all hope that it might be recovered.

"Thank you Wormtail," he murmured. "I have waited a long time to hold this again."

Over in the corner of the room, a small man bowed low, a look of relief on his face.

"My Lord, Bellatrix kept it quite safe at the Lestrange estate. Lucky for me she didn't have time to place any protection around it before the Aurors came to arrest her and Rodolphus."

Ah loyal Bellatrix. Though Voldemort preferred to work alone, he'd had the foresight to tell a few of his inner circle where he was going that terrible night twenty years ago. When word reached his Death Eaters that he had been destroyed, a few had rushed to the scene to see if there was anything to be done. Bellatrix had probably filched the wand for safe keeping.

Wormtail shifted over in his corner and Voldemort's eyes snapped in his direction. Whenever he squirmed like that, he could tell he wanted to say something but was working up the courage to do so.

"Anything else?" Voldemort asked sharply. He wasn't really interested in hearing Wormtail agonise over something, he wanted reacquaint himself with wandwork. Twenty years of neglect surely wasn't a good thing.

"M-my lord," Wormtail began, squirming under his stern gaze. "I was just wondering, now that we have a wand at our disposal – I – I was wondering if I might have permission to borrow it. It would be so much easier to extract Jones from the castle if I – if I had – that."

His voice grew smaller and smaller until his nerve failed him and he was left wringing his hands and studying the floorboards. Voldemort twirled his wand between his fingers and gave Wormtail his most contemptuous glare.

"You think you are worthy of using my wand?" Voldemort said quietly. "You? Even though the last time you tried to bring Jones to me you were attacked by a mad dog, and the time before that, Jones broke your nose?"

A flush crept up Wormtail's face and he squirmed worse than ever.

"Her protection is too great!" he whined. "She never leaves the castle anymore, not without an Auror trailing after her. And nobody can enter her rooms without permission."

"Then you must find a way to lure her out of the Hogwarts grounds," Voldemort hissed, his impatience growing. Why could this fool never think on his feet? Of all the Death Eaters to return to him, why couldn't it have been Bellatrix, or Dolohov? Anyone but this snivelling traitor. "If you can manage that, then I might be persuaded to give you my wand, temporarily, so that you may apprarate to the location with the girl. But until then Wormtail, you may scurry back to the castle. I wish to be alone."

Wormtail looked relieved that no punishment had been exacted and he scuttled from the room. For a moment Voldemort gazed thoughtfully at his wand before lifting it and pointing it at a large, cracked vase over by the window. He imagined the vase was Jones.

"Crucio!" he hissed. The vase, shattered.

OoOoO

Alaw awoke when a tremendous pain hit her in the chest. She sat up in bed with a yelp, one hand clutching her franticly beating heart. There was a very fresh look to the sunlight spilling in through the window and when she glanced at her clock, Alaw discovered that it was only six o clock in the morning. Cursing, she dragged herself from her bed and staggered into the tiny bathroom. After rummaging in the cabinet under the sink for a few moments she emerged with a small, round potion bottle, filled with pale blue liquid. She unstoppered it with her teeth, spat out the cork and took a generous gulp.

It took a few moments from the pain killer to take effect, during which time Alaw stared at herself in the mirror. Her face was pale and her eyes a little bloodshot, the blue a little darker than usual. That had been one of the most vivid dreams about Voldemort to date. Everything had been so clear, as if she had been in the room with them. And she had felt the rush of hate as Voldemort blasted the vase as if it were her own. Alaw shuddered and quickly put the potion away so she could run the tap and splash cold water on her face.

She immediately resolved to go and speak to Dumbledore about this, he would of course need to know. But it was terribly early, he was probably still asleep like all sane people should be on a Saturday morning. But Alaw was too restless to go back to bed so she took her time getting dressed, jeans and t-shirt since there were no lessons to attend and it looked like it was going to be a fine day. Then she sat in her living room, watching the sunlight creep across the floor as the sun rose and fingering her new tattoo absentmindedly.

At ten to seven, when she could stand it no longer, she got up and headed back into her bedroom. She grabbed her invisibility cloak from the wardrobe, threw it around her shoulders, and ducked through the Finn's Window. She doubted there would be any Purebloods lying in wait for her so early in the day but being invisible had become second nature, plus she really didn't want one of the Aurors traipsing after her all the way to Dumbledore's Office. She met no one on the way there except the Fat Friar who was whistling tunelessly and drifted past her, quite oblivious to her presence.

When Alaw reached the gargoyle which guarded the office she was faced with a problem she had not anticipated. She hadn't been to the office since the previous year and she didn't know the new password.

"Bugger," she muttered, throwing down her hood and gazing ruefully at the statue, who blinked in surprise as she appeared. "Um, I need to see Professor Dumbledore, it's urgent."

The gargoyle made no response, though Alaw wasn't sure it was capable of speech. She automatically glanced up at the wall above its head to where a muggle security camera would have been. Surely Dumbledore had some way of knowing when somebody wanted to see him. But nothing happened.

"Oh alright," she grumbled. "Fizzing Whizzby. Chocolate Frog. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Sugar Quill. Ice Mice – ah ha!"

She'd struck gold. The Gargoyle leapt aside to reveal the spiral staircase it guarded. Alaw hurried up it and soon came upon the door with the Griffin knocker. Before she could use it however, a voice from inside called,

"Enter."

 _I knew he could see me_ , Alaw thought irritably before pushing her way inside. The soft glow of the early morning sun was making the glass fronts of the cabinets glitter. It even made Dumbledore's hair and beard seem whiter than usual. He was fully dressed, despite the early hour, in a beautiful red robes today. He was standing halfway up one of the bookcase ladders and was thumbing through the top shelf.

"Ah, Alaw, to what do I owe this early pleasure?" he asked genially.

"Sir, I've had another dream about Voldemort," Alaw explained without preamble. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows and came down from the ladder at once, gesturing for Alaw to sit in the visitor's chair before his desk.

"Tell me everything," he said, settling himself in his own chair.

Alaw described the scene in as much detail as she could and after she had finished, Dumbledore sat in contemplative silence for a while. Then he asked,

"And Voldemort called this man 'Wormtail' did he?"

"Yes sir. I thought it sounded like a codename. He was telling him he needed to go back to the castle and, well, kidnap me. But Wormtail was being all whiny, saying that my protection was too good and there was no way he could get me whilst I was inside the grounds."

"Well, that at least is a comfort," said Dumbledore gravely. "Could you describe this man to me?"

"He didn't look anything like the pictures of Sirius Black in the papers," Alaw said, guessing that was what Dumbledore wanted to know. "He was really short, and a bit chubby. His hair was sort of sandy but he had lots of bald patches. And he was wearing grey robes."

Another silence, during which time Dumbledore fixed Allow with a penetrating stare. She disliked it when he did this and she fidgeted in her chair. As they looked at each other, teacher and student, Alaw found herself wondering for the first time how old Dumbledore really was. Everyone talked about him as though he had been around since time in memorial, and yet he seemed as sharp as ever, mentally and physically. Practically spritely. And yet he must have been – what? In his seventies at least, or even his eighties. Eventually Dumbledore spoke again.

"You say Voldemort used his wand to destroy a vase."

"Yeah, I think that's what made my heart hurt and woke me up."

"He held the wand?"

Alaw frowned at the headmaster and after a moment or two she understood what he was asking.

"He has a body again," she realised, a chill running through her. "He has his magical powers back!"

"It would appear so," Dumbledore said musingly. "Though from your description, it does not sound as though he has returned to full power yet. There are a number of ways of creating a temporary body, nothing more than a vessel to carry one's soul. It would not have been difficult for a wizard such as Voldemort, not once he had a minion to carry out his instructions."

"So who's this Wormtail then?" Alaw asked. But even as she said it the name rang bells in her mind and she got a nagging feeling that she had heard it somewhere before.

"I cannot be certain," said Dumbledore gravely. "Voldemort had many followers in his day and a disturbing proportion escaped Azkaban, and are still loyal to him."

 _Would it kill him to just say 'I don't know' for a change?_ Alaw thought irritably. Speaking to the headmaster always made her prickly.

Dumbledore got up so quickly that Alaw started in her chair. He crossed to one of the cabinets, his robes swishing, and bent down to open it. When he returned to the desk he was carrying a stone basin which he set in front of Alaw. She thought she recognised some of the runes etched around its edge, they were old Futhark, but her skill wasn't great enough to translate them in her head. And besides the contents of the basin were far more interesting. It looked like a potion of some kind, a shimmering, cloudlike substance which drifted lazily around the bowl and cast dancing lights on the ceiling and Alaw's face.

"That's beautiful," she said, leaning forward to peer at the liquid curiously.

"Yes it is rather lovely," said Dumbledore fondly. "And quite a remarkable device. It is called a Pensive, and it has been in the school's possession for centuries. In fact the story goes that it was found buried in the grounds by the Founders when they were building the castle. More likely it was acquired by some later headmaster or headmistress."

"What does it do?" Alaw asked, for it was highly unlikely that Dumbledore had taken the thing out simply to show her something pretty.

"It can store memories, so that others may see them. Observe."

Dumbledore took out his wand and placed the tip to his temple. When he withdrew it, something silver and wispy was clinging to it and it stretched longer and longer until it broke and drifted into the Pensive. When it hit the surface of the liquid it caused a torrent of colour and Alaw heard murmurings, soft as sounds drifting on a breeze. Then Professor McGonagall's face was gazing up at her.

"If I explained to you how to retrieve a memory, would you be willing to show me this dream of yours?"

Alaw hesitated slightly. She didn't like the idea of the headmaster poking around inside her head. But, then again, she would be the one taking out the memory, so she nodded. Following Dumbledore's instructions, Alaw positioned her wand and tried to recall the dream as clearly as she could from start to finish. When she was done, she drew out the shimmering tendril of thought and flicked it towards the basin. When it hit, the surface rippled but did not solidify. She glanced up at Dumbledore, worried she'd messed it up, but he smiled reassuringly.

"Dreams are not as clear as memories. It may take a moment."

They waited, and soon the outline of a room formed in the Pensive. Dumbledore motioned for Alaw to stand.

"Touch the memory and you will be able to enter it. I will be right behind you."

Suddenly nervous, Alaw reached out and lightly touched the liquid, which felt more like cool wind than water, and then she felt herself pitch head first into the basin. She went head over heels before her feet slammed onto solid ground and she gasped in shock. For a second she stood there, quivering, until Dumbledore appeared beside her and smiled at her expression.

"It can be an unsettling experience," he admitted, patting her on the shoulder.

Alaw swallowed and looked around the room she was in for the first time. It was still a bit blurry, but it was close enough to the room from her dream. There was a fireplace and there was a snake on the carpet. She tried to look at the armchair where Voldemort had sat but it was so blurry that she couldn't make out more than a vague humanoid shape in dark robes. It seemed too small to be a fully grown man though.

"Why can't we see him?" she asked, squinting at the chair to see if it became any clearer.

"You saw this scene play out from Voldemort's point of view," Dumbledore explained. "You couldn't see him, and therefore our minds can only fill in so much detail."

He wasn't looking at the Voldemort blur, instead he was gazing intently at the man in the corner. They listened to the conversation that passed between the two men and all the while, Wormtail flickered in and out of focus. Alaw still didn't recognise him and soon the dream was over and they were rising through darkness, Dumbledore's hand holding on to Alaw's shoulder. With another uncomfortable lurch, Alaw found herself staggering around Dumbledore's office again and she grabbed the desk for support. Once her head had stopped spinning, Alaw looked around at Dumbledore who was still gazing at the pensive, now looking very grave.

"Do you know who he is sir?" Alaw asked eagerly, for it very much looked as if Dumbledore had recognised Wormtail.

"I – have an inkling," Dumbledore said evasively, now stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I may be wrong. It seems most unlikely that it is him. But stranger things have happened wherever Lord Voldemort is concerned."

"Who? Who is he?" Alaw asked but Dumbledore, after waiting an age to answer, only shook his head.

"I need to make some inquiries. Until then Alaw I think it best you put this from your mind. If you have any more dreams involving Lord Voldemort then please, come and tell me, no matter the time of day."

Disappointment and anger welled up inside Alaw until she was glaring at Dumbledore. This was so unfair! She had told the headmaster everything, but now he wanted to be all mysterious with her?! But there was no way of demanding to know what he was thinking without sounding like a whiny child. So instead, she asked another question.

"Why can I see what Voldemort is thinking sir?"

She'd asked this question before, at the end of the previous school year after her first encounter with Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore's answer now was just the same as it had been then.

"I am not entirely sure. When I am certain that my working hypothesis is correct, I will tell you. But until then you must be patient."

Alaw couldn't stop herself from huffing and folding her arms angrily. Instead of looking stern, Dumbledore smiled sadly at her.

"Alaw, you are far too young to be worrying about Lord Voldemort. You have much more enjoyable things to occupy your mind, like the Quidditch Tournament, lessons, your friends. Go and enjoy your youth, there will be plenty of time later in life to deal with Dark Wizards and their mad plans."

OoOoO

Dumbledore's infuriating manner bugged Alaw for the next few weeks. She'd told Hermione and the boys everything that had transpired but they seemed to be on Dumbledore's side.

"If he can't tell you yet, that must mean he's not certain who this Wormtail person is," Hermione had said in a whisper, for they had conducted this conversation at the back of the Charms classroom. "Dumbledore must have his reasons."

Alaw had expressed her opinion of this assessment by producing such a strong wind spell that it snuffed out not just her own candle, but everyone else's too. At least this had earned her five points for Slytherin.

What really got under her skin was the fact that she was sure she had heard the name 'Wormtail' somewhere before and it was driving her crazy. April wore on and whilst Ron became even more wrapped up in his Quidditch training, Hermione tried to spend as much time as possible with Krum, and Neville landed himself in detention with Snape for the entire month for singeing Pansy's hair by accident, Alaw pondered the mystery of Wormtail. She spent her evenings in the library, reading again the accounts of the British Wizarding War and Voldemort's rise to power. She followed up the stories of those wizards who had been revealed to be Death Eaters and gave a snort when she fished out the records of Lucius Malfoy's trail. His ludicrous claim that he had been under the imperious curse was right there, in black and white. She supposed a healthy sack of galleons was enough to make anyone swallow such bullshit.

She was even more intrigued when she found the trial record of one Igor Karkaroff. She gazed at it for quite a long time, reading and rereading his sworn testimony.

 _Karkaroff: 'Snape. Severus Snape.'_

 _Crouch: 'Snape has already been cleared by this council. He has been vouched for by Albus Dumbledore.'_

 _Karkaroff: 'No. I assure you, Severus Snape is a Death Eater.'_

 _Dumbledore: 'I have given evidence already on this matter. Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater. However he re-joined our side before Lord Voldemort's downfall and turned spy for us, at great personal risk. He is now no more a Death Eater than I am.'_

Alaw jumped as somebody dumped a bag on the table opposite her and she looked up to see Draco drop into the spare seat.

"Oh, are you talking to me again?" she asked sarcastically and Draco gave a sardonic smile.

"Only between the hours of ten and twelve pm and only when there aren't any witnesses."

It was indeed very late and the library was nearly deserted, particularly this dusty little corner containing the public records of the Wizengamot. This close to the exams, the library was operating a 24 hour policy and old Ernie Dervish, the night watchman, was much less strict than Madam Pince. He was likely asleep at his desk by now.

"That doesn't look like revision, unless you're going all out on that Vampire essay for Lupin," said Draco as he took out his astronomy text books and a handsome green notebook.

"No I finished that ages ago. This is – something else," said Alaw evasively. Draco raised a curious eyebrow.

"Sirius Black again?" he guessed and Alaw shrugged.

She glanced down at the court report and read those words again. She wasn't exactly surprised, not when she stopped to think about it. After all, she had spent the majority of first year thinking that Snape was trying to kill her on Voldemort's orders. But to see proof of it right in front of her, Snape, her teacher, her head of house, had once been a Death Eater, had likely tortured and killed people like her. Her next potions lesson was going to interesting to say the least.

"Hey, are you alright?" Draco asked and Alaw realised she must have been looking quite miserable. She sighed and after looking around to check if they really alone she flipped the report around and pushed it towards Draco.

"This bit," she said, tapping the page. Draco stared down at it for a few moments, his eyes moving swiftly from left to right. Then he looked up at Alaw questioningly.

"Didn't you know?" he asked dispassionately.

"Well, I'd heard the rumours but I – I don't know, it just feels weird. Does he still hate muggleborns and muggles? O did he really have a change of heart? Does he look at me and people like me and think we're scum?"

Draco didn't answer for a few moments but gave her a strange look. Finally he said,

"I'd have thought you'd be used to people thinking that by now?"

"I hope I never get used to it," Alaw said firmly. "It's still so weird. Before I came to Hogwarts I came from a nice, middle class family. I'm lucky, I'd never even seen racism before, not in person anyway. Racism was this scary monster from history or on the internet. Kind of a bogeyman from faraway places. Then I came here."

This conversation was clearly making Draco uncomfortable and he was frowning.

"But," he began hesitantly. "It's not really – racism, is it? That seems such a harsh word. Doesn't it make sense that muggleborns should have weaker magic? That you should be more like muggles?"

Alaw expected that this would make her angry but instead she felt an overwhelming sadness. It didn't matter how many times she had this conversation with Draco, he still couldn't see how stupid his words were. She reached across the table and put her hand over his to grip it tightly. His arm jerked beneath her fingers but he didn't pull away.

"Remember Atticus," she said softly. "Try to imagine things from other people's perspectives. And if you still need convincing, I'm afraid I'll just have to kidnap you and force you to hang out with muggles to change your attitude."

A smile tugged at Draco's lips.

"Where would you take me?" he asked.

"Oh, all sorts of cool places. Disneyland I think would be pretty bitching. Oh, but I'd have to force you to have a Disney marathon with me first. And Lord of the Rings! You have to watch Lord of the Rings."

"They made it into a play?" asked Draco excitedly. "But, it's too long."

Alaw merely smiled sneakily at him and released his hand. She gathered up her papers and tucked them into her bag. She would make copies of them and add them to her newly made 'Death Eaters' folder later.

"Night Draco," she yawned, but she paused. After considering the matter for a moment, she swooped down and planted a kiss on his cheek before walking away without glancing back.

OoOoO

The breakthrough Alaw had been waiting for came at the very end of April, a few days before the long awaited match between Durmstrang and Mahoutokoro. Alaw had just had a rather frustrating Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson where she had contracted a nasty skin rash on her cheek, courtesy of Marcus Flint. Lupin had examined it and declared she would be fine in an hour or two. Flint was still sniggering as he left the classroom and Alaw scowled after him, already wondering how best to get back at him.

"Alaw, would you mind helping me with these?" Lupin asked and Alaw took the pile of textbooks from him. "I'll just nip to the Hospital Wing and get you that ointment. Just put them in my office please."

Alaw did as she was told and ascended the steps to the teacher's quarters. Lupin's office turned out to be quite interesting. There was a record player next to the window, and a glass tank full of water and pond weed. Alaw put the books on the desk and went to peer into the tank, wondering if it contained fish. She got quite fright when a small monkey like creature darted out of the weeds and pressed its face against the glass. She started away from the Grindylow and bumped into the desk. It wobbled, and there was an ominous crash and the tinkle of breaking glass.

"Oooh, fuck," Alaw breathed, looking down to see a smashed photo frame at her feet.

She swooped to pick it up and winced to see that the glass had shattered to bits and the photo it held had fallen out. She plucked it up and tried to cram it back into the frame. This was difficult because the photo had already been folded to make it fit in the first place. It showed three young men in Hogwarts robes and Gryffindor scarfs, laughing at some old joke with their arms slung over each other's shoulders. She recognised Professor Lupin in the middle and she smiled at how young and carefree he looked. The boy on his left had black hair and round glasses, and he wore the badge of a head boy. The third boy was much shorter than either of his friends and had sandy hair and pinched little nose like a rat's.

The smile faded from Alaw's lips as she studied the third boy. No, it couldn't be, surely not. But she did recognise him, even though he was decades younger in this photo. It was him! Wormtail! Or the boy he used to be. Professor Lupin had known the man who was now working for Voldemort, the man who was trying to abduct her for his master! Alaw got a further shock when she unfolded the photo and saw a fourth boy had been cropped out of the picture. A black haired, handsome boy. Sirius Black. Azkaban may have robbed him of his good looks but she still recognised him from the Daily Prophet. She flipped the photograph over eagerly and saw a few words scrawled in the bottom left corner in Lupin's handwriting.

 _James, Me, Peter and Sirius, Graduation Day, June 1982_

A mounting excitement was rising inside Alaw and she glanced around at the door to make sure Lupin wasn't coming back. She put the picture and the frame down and whipped out her wand.

"Geminio!"

The photograph shivered and a perfect duplicate shimmered into existence right next to it. Alaw tucked this into her robe pocket, returned the original to the frame and cast a hasty reparo charm on it. She couldn't wait to tell her friends that Professor Lupin had been friends with Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. And that Pettigrew was apparently alive and well, serving Lord Voldemort.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note – Quite a few new followers since I last updated, so thankyou and welcome to you. As for Toraarch's review, I didn't really think it was such a big deal. I agree with you, Rowling almost certainly said that Hermione was black retrospectively for the publicity. If Hermione had always been black then there should indeed have been some indication in cannon, after all, Angelina Johnson was described as such. But it doesn't bother me too much, and the reason I decided to incorporate it into my story is because I saw some lovely black Hermione fanart that I thought was very well done. I even came up with some family history for her. I wasn't going to put it in the story, it was simply for my own amusement, but since the issue has been raised I'll give you all a rundown.**

 **So, Hermione's maternal grandparents came to live in London from Jamaica in the late fifties. Her grandmother was a nurse, and many immigrants from the Caribbean did come here to work in our hospitals. Her mother, Christina, was born a few years later. Her paternal grandparents were German Jews who came to England just before the war to escape from the Nazis. They changed their surnames to Granger in order to avoid similar persecution here. Her grandfather was a doctor, and when her father, David, grew up he followed him into the medical profession, though he chose dentistry. David and Christina met at university, got married, set up a practise together, and had Hermione in the nineties. Though her father was raised Jewish and her mother Christian, Hermione is herself an Atheist, unlike Alaw, who is a practising Christian.**

 **I know it's quite a complicated backstory but I got to thinking one day and it just came together. It really isn't that important to the story but I do like to know all my character's backgrounds.**

 **Chapter 21**

 **O.**

Alaw waited until the evening to tell Ron, Hermione and Neville about her discovery. She made a show of returning to her room after dinner, nodding to Proudfoot as she did, then slipped back out through Finn's Window under the cloak. She ran along the corridor on tiptoe and once she was out of sight of the Auror, she squeezed through the half open door of an empty classroom.

"Al, what's with all the secrecy?" Neville asked in confusion as she pulled off the cloak and winked into view. He, Ron and Hermione were already waiting for her. The boys were standing and Hermione was sitting on the teacher's desk.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "What's the matter? Why couldn't we talk in your room?"

"I reckon the Ministry has the place bugged," Alaw explained grimly. "Anyway, I was in Professor Lupin's office today and I accidentally broke one of his pictures."

"Oh, is that all?" Hermione sighed. "I'm sure if you just apologise he won't be angry."

"No, no," Alaw snapped irritably. "I fixed it no problem before he came back. But the photograph in it had been folded in half, and, well, I copied it. Look."

She took the duplicate photo out of her pocket and handed it to Hermione. The boys leant over to look too and the three of them stared at it for a while. Ron frowned at it until Hermione flipped it over and they read the inscription on the back, then he gasped.

"Black!" he hissed. "Sirius Black! Lupin was friends with him?!"

"Well I suppose lots of people were," said Hermione, though she looked troubled. "They didn't know he was going to turn out to be a traitor, did they?"

"That's not the only thing," Alaw said grimly. "You know the other boy, Peter Pettigrew?"

"Yes, Black killed him," said Neville, still looking at the picture.

"He was the man in my dream, the one with Voldemort."

The boys winced at the sound of the name and Hermione looked at Alaw in amazement. She glanced between Alaw and the photograph.

"Are you sure?" she whispered.

"Positive, he was in my dream over the summer. You remember, the one with Voldemort in the forest. And he was in the one I had a few weeks ago. It was him, I'm sure, and Dumbledore recognised him too. That's probably why he wouldn't talk to me about it."

"But, Al, Pettigrew's dead!" Ron pointed out. "Sirius Black killed him, he blew up a whole street full of muggles and Pettigrew was caught in the blast!"

"Yeah but was he though?" Alaw pressed. "They never found a body did they? You told me that all they found was Pettigrew's finger! What if it got blown off, but Pettigrew escaped?"

Ron blinked a few times and looked back at the picture. There was silence between them all for a few moments until Hermione voiced the question that had been bothering Alaw all day.

"So…if Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew were both traitors and were both working for Voldemort, did Black really mean to kill him, or was it all part of the plan?"

"I don't know," Alaw shrugged. "Maybe they had a row after Voldemort was destroyed, but if it was a hoax, then maybe Black meant to make it look as if they'd both been blown up, but botched it. And he's spent twenty years in Azkaban whilst Pettigrew's been in hiding."

"Maybe Pettigrew helped Black escape!" said Ron eagerly, caught up in the speculation. "Yeah, and now they're both working for You-Know-Who and they're both trying to grab you, Al."

"Oh great, things just keep getting better," said Alaw sarcastically. "You know, it's lucky for me that Voldemort apparently wants to finish me off personally. If he was happy to let one of his goons do it for him, then I'd probably already be dead."

Hermione gave her a 'don't joke about things like that' look. She was chewing her lip and still gazing at the picture.

"Who's the other boy?" she asked eventually. "Who's James?"

"It might be James Potter, I've heard dad talk about him," said Ron thoughtfully. Alaw reached out a hand for the photograph and peered at the fourth boy with the glasses. She hadn't paid him much mind before.

"Potter," she said quietly. "Yeah, Voldemort killed his son, Harry. Professor Dumbledore said Voldemort tracked him down specially, just like he did me. I wonder why. I mean, why single out a baby? Besides being a sick fuck I mean."

None of them had an answer for that. They stayed in the classroom a little longer, wondering aloud where Black, Pettigrew and Voldemort were now, and what Professor Dumbledore was doing about it. Since there were no answers to be had to these questions, they all eventually retired to their rooms. When Alaw ducked back into her bedroom she knelt down and flipped back the rug in front of her bed. There was loose floorboard here where she usually kept the cloak when she wasn't wearing it, but it was also where she kept her files. There were two now, one for the students of Hogwarts who gave her grief, and one for known Death Eaters.

Sirius Black had a section near the front, though it only consisted of a few newspaper clippings, Alaw's own timeline of events that included the various break-ins, and a Ministry report concluding that Black was not mentally fit for interview or trial. Sitting cross-legged on the floor with the file in her lap, Alaw added the filched photograph to the end of the Black section and then scribbled a few notes underneath. She then flipped to the 'P' section and added a new entry for Peter Pettigrew.

She didn't really know what she was going to do with all this information, she couldn't blackmail Death Eaters into leaving her alone the way she could with Theodore's mob. But she had always been a note taker, she had always liked organising her thoughts this way. And who knew, perhaps it would come in handy to have some perspective, if Voldemort ever did return.

OoOoO

The Quidditch season came to an end with the most exciting game so far that year. Durmstrang and Mahoutokoro went at each other relentlessly well into the night. The pitch had to be lit with magical spotlights so that the crowd could see what was happening. It concluded a few minutes to midnight when Viktor Krum snatched the Snitch out of mid-air with a yell of triumph. This shock victory had sent the crowd into a frenzy, everybody was on his or her feet, screaming and cheering. Quite a few people lost a lot of money that night as Japan had been sure favourites to win. Not so the Weasley twins, who cleaned up and spent the next few days celebrating jubilantly.

Ron was not nearly as cheerful. He would now have to face Viktor Krum and the rest of the Durmstrang team at the end of May when the final would be played. His time until then would be spend training harder than ever before. His friends had other things on their minds however. With the Quidditch postponed, it was time to turn their attention fully to the O. . The revision period last year had been stressful enough but this time around, Alaw found that even she couldn't bear to be in Hermione's company for too long. Hermione was strung as tight as a violin these days and snapped at anyone who dared make too much noise in her presence. She had even shouted at poor Neville for breathing through his nose whilst the two of them poured over Charms notes.

The weather was particularly fine that summer so Alaw donned the invisibility cloak and walked down to the forest most days, a stack of books under her arm. Emrys was baffled as to why his friend would rather stare at pieces of paper for hours on end, rather than hunt squirrels with him. He had now stopped growing and was as large as he would ever be, 26 feet long, though half of that was his tail. His wing span was even longer, 48 feet. He was still a little on the runty side for a male of his species but he was, as Hagrid kept pointing out, the perfect size for Alaw to ride. She always answered these thinly vailed hints with narrowed eyes. There was no way she was getting on Emrys' scaly back, especially not whilst his flying was so atrocious.

' _Emrys, that's very distracting,_ ' Alaw called irritably as there was yet another crunch of snapping branches behind her. She was sitting cross-legged on the forest floor, her transfiguration book in front of her and a pinecone in her outstretched hand. She'd been amusing herself for the past few minutes by turning it blue, then pink, then yellow, then green with orange spots. She was just procrastinating though. She could do colour changing spells in her sleep, having mastered them at the beginning of first year. What she really needed to be doing was learning the theory behind vanishing spells which was proving deadly dull. She vanished the pinecone with a sigh. If only that were all that was needed by the examiners. Magic was like computer science sometimes. She knew exactly how to use it, but explaining how and why it all worked was beyond her.

 _Crunch._

' _Emrys!'_ Alaw cried angrily, turning her torso to glare at him. He had landed in a heap on the forest floor with a broken tree limb beneath him and leaves still falling all around.

' _I'm trying to catch crows!'_ Emrys growled back, disentangling himself and craning his neck, searching for a likely tree.

As he began to claw his way up, Alaw watched, feeling guilty. She wished she had more time to help teach him but she had to concentrate on her revision. Defence Against the Dark Arts was causing her particular grief, as it had the previous year. Another bad grade would surely end her ambition to become a Curse Breaker.

The one good thing to come out of the revision period was that Hermione had finally ended things with Viktor. It had been by mutual agreement in the end and neither party had seemed too upset. Hermione maintained that she needed to concentrate on her studies and Viktor had the Final to think about, but the truth was that both of them had realised they had nothing in common. Alaw was extremely relieved, though of course she said nothing about it to Hermione. Everyone else was so busy that they barely commented. Hannah Abbot was the first to crack, breaking down completely during Herbology and sobbing that she would fail every exam. She had been given a healthy dose of calming draft by the matron.

Alaw herself had needed to take a distraught Neville up to the hospital for the potion too, after his latest attempt at a Wideye Potion failed horribly. As a shivering Neville chugged down the calming draft under the watchful gaze of the matron, Alaw took a discreet gulp herself. She was quite familiar with exam time stress but it had been impressed upon them from the beginning of the year how important the O. would be. Failure this summer would affect their futures for years to come. By the time the last fortnight of May was upon them, all the second years were desperate for this hell to be over. The evening before their first exam – Charms – the Great Hall was unnaturally quiet. Alaw picked at her meal, occassionaly taking a bite but mostly gazing into space. She was supposed to be reciting the theory behind Cheering Charms to herself but she'd stopped several minutes ago without realising.

Hermione was furiously reading through her notes so fast that she couldn't possibly be taking any of it in. Neville was concentrating on his food. How he could eat was a mystery to Alaw. If she was this nervous about Charms, the exam she was most confident about, how would she be when it came time to sit Defence Against the Dark Arts? Neville glanced up and reached for the ketchup bottle but his hand froze, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

"Oh god," he breathed. "It's them, the examiners."

Everyone in the vicinity looked up so quickly there was an audible rustle. There, in the Entrance Hall, was a group of witches and wizards in traveling cloaks. They were speaking to Professor Dumbledore and seemed unabashed by the fact that half the students in the hall was craning their necks to stare at them. Some brave souls even crept over to the doors to eavesdrop. Alaw remained where she was and pushed her food away from her, all desire to eat extinguished.

By the time they all went to bed, Hermione was practically quivering with nerves and Neville had gone a very unhealthy shade of grey. Alaw sat in front of her fireplace with her Charms theory notes in front of her until midnight, which was when she forced herself to go to bed. She wasn't going to retain any more information at this point and sleep was the best thing for her.

OoOoO

As it turned out the Charms exam went well. They sat their theory paper in the Great Hall after breakfast when the rest of the school were at normal lessons. There were a few fourth years dotted amongst them taking their N.E. and they looked even more stressed than the second years. The paper was two hours long and Alaw only got stuck once on a question about Cheering Charms. She spent five precious minutes staring blankly at the page, with the sound of a tuned out television whining in her brain. She eventually skipped the entire question and carried on with the rest, only returning to it at the end of the exam to scrawl some nonsense that she was sure was wrong. However, it was better to write something, rather than nothing.

Nobody else seemed to have screwed up terribly either and they were able to eat their lunches slightly more calmly. Afterwards, they trooped out into the Entrance Hall again to wait for their practical exam. Alaw sat at the bottom of the staircase, tapping her wand nervously on her thigh whilst Hermione paced back and forth in front of her. After about fifteen minutes, Professor Flitwick began calling out names by surname. Hermione went in before Alaw or Neville with Goyle, Daphne, and Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw. Alaw was called forward shortly after and she took a deep, hopefully calming, breath before walking through the doors.

"Professor Tofty will examine you Miss Jones," said Professor Flitwick, giving her a reassuring smile that she tried to return but somehow failed.

She went over to the desk he had indicated where a very old, wizened man in purple robes sat, a stack of papers in front of him and an assortment of odd objects Alaw assumed she would be asked to enchant.

"Miss Alaw Jones?" Tofty asked as Alaw sat down opposite him, completely botching the pronunciation of her first name of course. Alaw didn't bother correcting him but merely nodded. "No need to be nervous young miss," said Tofty kindly. "Take all the time you need, this isn't against the clock this portion of the exam. Now then, I would like you please to levitate this wine glass for me."

Alaw levitated the wine glass perfectly, and the second, and the third, and made them move in a steady circle. This was all first year material, undoubtedly used to ease them into the swing of things. Alaw relaxed after a few minutes and even started to enjoy herself. She doubted she would ever stop feeling the joy in spell casting. Tofty seemed pleased with her performance and made several notations on his parchment as they progressed.

She finished by heating the water in a metal basin to boiling point and holding that temperature for a full thirty seconds. Professor Tofty measured her progress with a thermometer and nodded happily with the egg timer ran out.

"Excellent, very well done," he said cheerfully, ticking a box on his parchment. "Well that's everything Miss Jones, you may go."

Alaw thanked the examiner and walked out of the Great Hall, feeling light as a feather. That had gone incredibly well, if she did say so herself. Near the doors, Draco was halfway through his own exam and was making a paperweight bounce like a rubber ball. Out in the Entrance Hall, Hermione was waiting for Alaw and looked fairly calm. She immediately launched into a blow by blow account of her own exam and Alaw indulged her, knowing it was just her way of dealing with stress. Neville joined them soon after.

"I say we all go to Hagrid's for tea," said Alaw, "Let me just run upstairs and get some Transfiguration notes."

"Actually I'd rather you didn't go outside Miss," said the Auror Savage, stepping out of the shadow of the grand staircase where he had been on guard the whole time.

Damn, Alaw had forgotten about him. She was so used to being invisible that being out and about legitimately was a little odd. Scowling, she and the other two retreated upstairs to closet themselves in Alaw's room instead. It was going to be a long couple of weeks.

OoOoO

As exams went, the O. weren't as horrifying as they were cracked up to be, but perhaps they were just lucky that year. The only truly nasty paper was Ancient Runes on the first Friday, and that was because of the way many of the questions were worded. Alaw wasn't the only one to stain her exam paper with a few tears of frustration. Even Hermione had freak out over that one. But Transfiguration had been a success, as had Herbology.

Alaw had unfortunately embarrassed herself by tearing up during the Defence practical, but again, she wasn't the only one. The plump little witch examining her that day had given her a few minutes to sip some water and calm down before attempting her Disarming spell again. Alaw had left the hall feeling dejected and spoke very little that evening.

The weekend gave the second years a chance to rest and Alaw took the opportunity on Saturday morning to sneak down to the forest with Hagrid and Snuffles to see Emrys. They tried to help him with his flying, clearing a runway for him and making encouraging flapping motions with their arms.

"Maybe if ye got on his back, ye could guide him," Hagrid suggested after Emrys managed to run headlong into an oak tree. Alaw groaned.

"Oh Hagrid, I've told you before, I'm not great with heights."

"Ye wouldn't have to go high," Hagrid coaxed as Emrys righted himself and shook his great, scaly head. "Jes for the run up, then a bit of a glide along the tree tops."

Alaw squirmed at the idea but eventually, Hagrid succeeded in persuading her to try. She pitched the idea to Emrys, who thought it daft, but was willing to give it a go. Perhaps carrying some extra weight would help to strengthen him leg and wing muscles anyway. Hagrid helped Alaw clamber on the dragon's back and she positioned herself with her legs behind his wings. It wasn't unlike sitting on a motorcycle but the one time she had tried riding uncle's Griff's, her mother had come outside to scream at the pair of them. Luckily for Alaw, Emrys' spines stopped between his wings and didn't extend all the way down him back, so she didn't have any poking her in the nether regions.

"Uh, how do I hold on?" Alaw asked nervously, even as Emrys began pawing the ground beneath her, eager to get going.

Before Hagrid could make any suggestions, Emrys launched himself into a gallop and Alaw grabbed one of his spines for dear life. _This was a bad idea_ , she thought as trees and rocks whipped past at an alarming speed. Every time the dragon's front claws hit the dirt, Alaw was nearly hurled from his back. His wings extended on either side of her and she roared over the noise of the wind,

' _Ok Ems, start flapping, no harder than that!_ '

Emrys got about five feet off the ground and Alaw yelled in triumph, but her happiness was short lived. They had to swerve violently to avoid hitting another tree and Alaw slid right off Emrys' back and landed painfully in a thicket of ferns. That ended their flying lesson and Alaw made a solemn vow never to try anything so stupid again. Hagrid didn't let this curb his enthusiasm and he maintained that all she needed was a decent saddle and a good pair of reins.

The exams commenced once again on Monday with Potions, which Alaw felt fairly confident about. The paper went alright, as did her Strengthening Solution, and she left her cauldron feeling quietly optimistic. Tuesday went even better, since that was Care of Magical Creatures. She didn't feel as nervous around the Hippogriffs now she was so used to Emrys, but Buckbeak still refused to bow to her. The unicorn was much easier to handle, and she selected the appropriate diet without trouble. The boys weren't required to actually approach the unicorn as that would have been a tad unfair, but they were welcome to try if they were confident. Many didn't bother, though Neville gave it a go and the unicorn did allow him to come close, though when he reached out to pat it, the creature tossed its head and backed off.

Wednesday saw Astronomy up in one of the high towers at midnight. Alaw stood as far back from the parapet as she could get away with and filled out her start chart without too much difficulty. She didn't know if she wanted to carry on with this subject next year but a lot of the advanced spells she would soon be learning did require a basic knowledge of star movement.

Alaw had Thursday off whilst Neville took his muggle studies exam and Hermione took Arithmancy. She took the opportunity to read through her History of Magic notes though it was desperately dull going over the same thing over and over again. The past papers she and Hermione had scrounged up from the library indicated that there would certainly be questions about the formation of the International Statute of Secrecy, and the International Confederation of Wizards. Then on the British History section it was likely they would be asked about the witch hunts of the early modern period, and the creation of the Ministry. Last year's paper featured a dull question asking the students to list the Ministers for Magic in chronological order, and to give an example of important legislation they introduced.

Alaw sighed and shook her head at the notes. It was such a shame that History was so poorly taught. There was nothing in the curriculum about the origin of magic, hardly anything from outside Europe and America, and not one mention of her own culture in the British History section. The closest it got was a brief outline of the Roman conquest and their introduction of standardised spell casting. Still, at least she wasn't going to fail this one.

Feeling that her backside had gone numb from sitting for too long, Alaw got up and crossed to the window to open it. It was a glorious day, typical of a Hogwarts summer where the temperature seemed to be much warmer than one would expect in northern Scotland. Down in the grounds she could see a large black dog sniffing around in the bushes and chasing squirrels. Snuffles often wondered around within sight of Alaw's window, sometimes even in dismal rain. He was strangely intelligent for a dog, but then again, so were most animals who were exposed to magic. Look at Crookshanks, and poor dead Scabbers.

Alaw stood at the window for a while longer before shaking her head and forcing herself back to her revision. _Just one more day_ , she told herself, _one more day and it'll all be over_.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

 **The Cauldron**

It was over, they had survived the O. W. Ls. The History of Magic exam had gone without a hitch for Alaw and now she was lounging on the grass in front of Hagrid's hut with Ron, Neville and Hermione, a pitcher of iced pumpkin juice between them and nothing to worry about except the Quidditch Final.

"Do you think I should go to the after party in Hogsmead tonight?" Alaw asked, leaning back to bask in the sunlight.

"No," said Hermione immediately, fixing her friend with a stern frown. "Come on Al, how many times does Sirius Black of Peter Pettigrew have to try and kidnap you before you learn?"

"I'll be under the cloak," Alaw protested, though not too forcefully. It was too nice a day to argue properly. "And they wouldn't even know I was there!"

Hermione looked like she wanted to say something more on the subject but Hagrid came out of the hut at that point. He appeared to be holding something in his cupped hands.

"Got a present for ye Ron," he said and Ron frowned in confusion, then gasped as Hagrid opened his hands. Scabbers the rat was nestled there, looking distinctly the worse for wear.

"Scabbers!" Ron cried, taking the rat. "I thought I'd lost him!"

"You lost him?" Hermione asked incredulously. "When?"

"Oh months ago," said Ron offhandedly. "He learned how to open the cage on his own, I don't think I've seen him since February at least!"

"Ron you dipshit, you have to learn to take better care of your things!" Alaw scolded. Scabbers seemed to have lost even more weight since she'd last seen him and his ears were droopier than ever.

Chuckling, Hagrid settled himself in his enormous deckchair and poured out a glass of pumpkin juice for himself.

"So, what are we talking about?" he asked comfortably and before Alaw could stop her, Hermione dobbed her in.

"Alaw is thinking about going to the village tonight to celebrate the end of the exams."

Alaw shot her best friend a glare and mouthed 'traitor' at her. Hagrid was not impressed.

"Now come on Al, you know that's dangerous. Sirius Black is out there and Professor McGonagall told you specially to stay in the grounds. Truth be told you shouldn't even be down here without a guard."

"You're here," Alaw pointed out. "Ok fine, I won't go. But can I just remind everyone once again that I have a bloody invisibility cloak! Black would have a job finding me under that."

Hagrid and Hermione shared a look and Alaw crossed her arms, sulking. She dropped her voice and muttered to Ron,

"Well I'm definitely going to the after match party in the village, everyone will be there! I heard they're doing a big fireworks display too, no way I'm missing that."

OoOoO

On the final day of May the sun dawned over a castle full of anticipation. The Great Hall was packed for breakfast as everyone crammed inside, hoping to get a glimpse of the teams. Ron was sitting at the Gryffindor table, staring down at his bowl of porridge with such a grave expression, it seemed like he was battling not to be sick in it. The other members were similarly quiet though when Alaw glanced over at the Durmstrang contingent, they seemed to be whispering to each other, perhaps discussing tactics.

"Ron, at least have something to drink," Hermione urged, pouring a glass of water for him. "You might be on the pitch for hours!"

Ron reached for the glass with trembling fingers and took a large gulp, slopping some down the front of his robes. The girls and Neville managed to convince him to take a few bites of his breakfast before he went off with the rest of the team to get changed for the match. Alaw was busy wrapping bacon and sausage butties in cloth to put in the hamper she'd brought with her.

"We don't know how long the match will last," she said when Neville looked inquiringly at her. "I don't want to miss bits whilst I'm popping over here for lunch."

They added fruit and half a dozen boiled eggs to the basket. Before long the entire school and their guests were moving on mass out of the front doors and towards the Quidditch pitch. Those supporting Durmstrang were clad in crimson whilst the Hogwarts fans were a mix of green, red, yellow and blue. It was quite sad really, to see the contrast. Even when playing together in one team, the Hogwarts students didn't really show a united front. Though Alaw was no better, sporting her hand-stitched Slytherin polo and the scarf tied around her waist.

The stands were full to bursting but Alaw and the Gryffindors managed to find a spot near the top where they could see everything, just one row behind Flora, Tracy and Cameron who had a huge banner with them dedicated to Daphne. A hush fell on the crowd as the doors at either end of the pitch opened, then fourteen players, seven in red, seven in black, zoomed out on their brooms to form a ring in the centre. The crowd cheered and clapped as two of the figures approached each other in mid-air and shook hands. Alaw lifted her omnioculars and peered down at the players.

Olivia Flint, who was the Hogwarts captain, seemed to be smiling excitedly at her counterpart in Durmstrang, but she was a Hufflepuff. Ron seemed to look a little better than he had at breakfast and Alaw felt her hopes rise as he flew off towards the goal-posts. Ludo Bagman's voice boomed out from the staff stand.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, Hogwarts natives and our special guests! Welcome to the final match of this year's Junior Tournament. Who will be victorious? Let's find out!"

Down on the pitch, Madam Hooch released the balls and the Chasers flew into a frenzy. The Quaffle was caught by Olivia who streaked away with it, weaving between the other players with impressive grace. It was apparent at once that all their training had paid off, the Hogwarts team were flying better than anyone had ever seen.

"And that's Flint of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle, impressive broom control there, she swerves to dodge a Bludger, she heading straight for goal! She takes aim – ah – bad luck – the Quaffle is caught by Nilsson, who passed to Olofsson, back to Nilsson, Olofsson again, Nilsson!"

The two Durmstrang Chasers were passing back and forth over the heads of the Hogwarts players, not giving then enough time to think. Lydia Fawcett eventually lost patience and walloped a Bludger at Nilsson who dropped the Quaffle and did a cartwheel in mid-air to avoid getting bashed in the face.

Heidi swooped beneath Nilsson and caught the Quaffle, she then did a sharp u-turn back towards the Durmstrang goals. Daphne and Olivia both closed in to fly on either side of her, with the third Durmstrang Chaser, Ivanova, tried to zoom beneath them. She seemed to make a swipe for the Quaffle but Heidi rose out of her reach and drew her away before throwing the Quaffle to Daphne. Five minutes later, Daphne scored Hogwarts' first goal and the crowd roared its approval. The Slytherins in particular were jubilantly waving their banners as Daphne flew past.

Even Ron had admitted a few weeks ago that Daphne was an excellent Chaser and she worked well with the Hufflepuff girls. Lydia and George too seemed to read each other's minds. They impressed everyone about an hour into the game by stopping Ivanova from scoring. George hit a Bludger, not at Ivanova, but at Lydia, who then beat it back towards the Chaser who, thinking she had dodged it, didn't notice it coming back in the opposite direction.

Ron didn't have anything to do for three full hours, which was the length of time it took Alaw to get bored. She had been picking at their lunch hamper when the crowd rose to their feet in a single wave and the Hogwarts fans gave a groan. Alaw looked up in time to see Ron dive for the Quaffle which had gone through his central hoop. Ivanova was punching the air and the red-clad supporters were clapping in relief.

"Oh dear," Alaw sighed, picking up her omnioculars to watch Ron throw the Quaffle back into play. He looked extremely embarrassed.

The problem was, Ron tended to lose confidence the moment he made one mistake. It would be up to his teammates to make sure he didn't get another chance to do that. Hogwarts had a good lead over Durmstrang, 70 – 10 so far. But they hadn't counted on Krum. Alaw had so far been ignoring him in favour of watching the Chasers but Ludo Bagman's voice drew everyone's attention.

"Oh I say! There he goes! There goes Krum, with Chang right behind him!"

The two Seekers moved into a vertical nose dive right through the Chasers who scattered. Alaw tried desperately to follow them but they were too quick. It looked like Krum had seen the Snitch but he pulled out of the dive mere feet from the ground. The crowd gasped as it looked as if Cho would plough straight into the dirt, but she managed to pull away just in time. Her feet dragged on the grass and her broom went off course, throwing her from it, but it could have been much, much worse.

"Sneaking bastard!" Alaw screamed, watching the action again in slow motion on her omnioculars. "He didn't see the Snitch, he wanted her to crash! He could have killed her!"

As it was, Cho seemed more embarrassed and annoyed than hurt. Mediwizards ran out to see if she was alright, but she was already back on her broom and in the air before they reached her. Alaw was astonished that Krum wasn't sent off the pitch for pulling a stunt like that, but people didn't seem to care about trivial things like life and death where Quidditch was involved.

 _He's definitely going to get the Snitch eventually_ , Alaw thought as she watched Krum continue his search. He was too good, Hogwarts' only chance was to score higher than Durmstrang. That put an awful lot of pressure on the Chasers but they were rising to the challenge wonderfully. By late afternoon the score was 210– 50. Durmstrang's low score was more to do with George and Lydia's efforts than Ron's goal keeping abilities, but his test came again when Lydia was accused of Blatching, deliberately flying to collide. Durmstrang was awarded a penalty even though it wasn't entirely clear whether or not Lydia had meant to foul.

Ivanova flew up to take the penalty and the stadium fell silent. Ron was bobbing up and down anxiously in front of his goal hoops and Hermione grabbed Alaw's hand tightly.

 _Please let him save it, please let him save it_ , Alaw thought desperately. But then, as Ivanova hurled the Quaffle, a Bludger came flying out of nowhere. It hit Ron squarely in the chest and he went careering towards the ground. Alaw and Hermione screamed as he hit the sand and did not get up again. They didn't even notice that the Quaffle went through the left hand hoop and the score adjusted to 210 – 60.

"Oh my god, Ron!" Hermione squealed. Alaw pressed her omnioculars to her face, watching with bated breath as the mediwizards attended to Ron. He seemed to be unconscious and the wizards were waving their wands back and forth over him. Eventually they levitated him onto a stretcher which was taken off the pitch.

"And Ronald Weasley is taken off the pitch due to concussion," Ludo Bagman informed the crowd who groaned. Hermione snatched the omnioculars away from Alaw so she could watch Ron, but he had already been taken out of sight into the stands.

Play recommenced almost immediately, and now there was no Hogwarts Keeper to defend the goal posts. Durmstrang managed to score twice in half an hour, though Hogwarts matched that in the following half. The time was quarter to six and the score 230 – 80 with Hogwarts in the lead when it happened. Daphne had just taken possession of the Quaffle and it looked like she would score again when Viktor Krum went streaking across her path, Cho hot on his heels.

"He's seen it! For real this time!" Neville shouted and hundreds of people rose to their feet as one, screaming their Seekers on.

Half the people were watching Krum and Cho zigzag across the pitch, but the other half were yelling for Daphne, who had put on a burst of speed towards the goals. If Krum caught the Snitch then it would be a draw, but if Daphne scored then Hogwarts would win by a hair.

"Come on Daphne!" Alaw screamed, jumping up and down, finally caught up in the excitement.

Daphne drew back her hand to hurl the Quaffle just as Krum's arm extended to grab the Snitch. The Quaffle flew, there was a ding as the point was scored, and Krum rose through the air with the Snitch clenched in his fist. But who had been first? There was confusion until everyone looked in unison at the score board and saw Hogwarts – 240, Durmstrang – 230.

"Yes!" Neville cried, punching the air as every Hogwarts fan cheered and whooped.

Daphne soon disappeared from sight as her team mates enveloped her in hugs.

"Hogwarts win!" Ludo Bagman boomed. "Good god, I don't think I've ever seen such a close match ladies and gentlemen! Splendid performances from both teams!"

Never had a Slytherin player been applauded as much as Daphne. Even Gryffindors were clutching each other crying, cheering her on as she and the rest of the team did a lap of honour around the pitch. Alaw hugged Flora, Tracy and half a dozen other Slytherins who under normal circumstances would never even speak to her, before running after Hermione and Neville to look in on Ron. They passed Draco on the way and, in the middle of the crowd where no one was likely to notice, Alaw grabbed his face and kissed in on the cheek, beaming. He looked flustered, but pleased, as she went on her way.

Ron, it transpired, had been put in the medical tent behind the stands and when his friends were finally allowed to go in by the stern Healer at the door, they found him lying in bed. He was thankfully awake, but extreamly groggy.

"What happened? Is it over? Did we win?" he asked the moment he saw them. His friends beamed.

"We won!" Neville crowed and relief broke on Ron's face like the dawning sun.

He immediately demanded a blow by blow account of what had happened after he'd been taken off the pitch, but the Healer chivvied them away almost at once.

"But I want to go to the party!" Ron complained, trying to get out of bed but with little success.

"You have several cracked ribs young man and a serious concussion!" the Healer told him sharply. "I've Floo called your parents, they will be here shortly. Now, you lot, out! This boy needs rest!"

Hermione, Neville and Alaw had little choice but to obey.

"Alaw, please tell me you're not going into the village," Hermione muttered once they were back in the Gryffindor Common Room and no one could hear them under cover of the celebrations.

All around them people were cracking open bottles of Butterbeer and Fire Whisky that the Weasley Twins had smuggled up from the kitchens. George was being thumped on the back by every person who walked past as he relived the match with a group of admiring girls. Alaw leant forward to grab a bottle of Gillywater from the table and idly waved her wand to pop the cap off before taking a generous gulp.

"Yep," she said firmly. Hermione looked fretful.

"You can't!" she hissed desperately. "Please Al, please don't. Why aren't you more scared of Black and Pettigrew?!"

"Because they won't even know I'm there!" Alaw growled for what felt like the hundredth time. They suddenly heard a violent scuffle behind the sofa and a lot of high pitched squeaking. Then Crookshanks slunk into view, chasing a terrified Scabbers.

"How the fuck does he keep getting out of his cage?!" Alaw asked, grabbing the rat before he could be devoured. Hermione caught hold of Crookshanks who meowed angrily and kept swiping in Scabbers' direction. Alaw got up with a huff.

"I'm going to put him in my room," she said. "When is everyone heading into Hogsmead?"

"At about half eight," said Neville even as Hermione opened her mouth to protest.

"Then wait for me outside the Three Broomsticks and I'll come and meet you at about nine."

Alaw left the Common Room with her bottle of Gillywater in one hand and Scabbers in the other. He went still once they were out of sight of Crookshanks. Savage was waiting for her next to Sir Cadogan's portrait and he gave his usual monosyllabic greeting.

"Are you sure I can't go into the village with the others?" she asked as he trailed along behind her to her rooms. She might as well see if she could do this legitimately.

"No," he said sourly. That was it, no arguments to be had. Ah well.

At half eight Alaw picked up her small handbag containing her money and a few other essentials for a night out in Hogsmead and donned the invisibility cloak. She then drew back the tapestry she had placed over the Finn's Window and ducked through it, as she had done many times before. Savage was there at her door, reading the Daily Prophet, and Alaw shot him a smirk before setting off. The corridors were quite busy as everyone made their way downstairs but Alaw soon ditched the crowds when she alighted on the third floor. The statue of the One Eyed Witch was quiet and unguarded so there was no one about to hear Alaw's whispered 'Dissendium'.

She had long since returned the Marauder's Map to Fred and George but they had promised to bequeath it to her once they finished Hogwarts at the end of next year. It really was a wonderful piece of magic, whoever had made it must have been very skilled wizards. Alaw had just put on leg into the passage behind the witch when she paused, struck by a sudden inspiration. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. _Wormtail._ She _knew_ she'd heard that name before! A smile spread on Alaw's face as she started putting the pieces together. Wormtail was the name Voldemort had used when speaking to Peter Pettigrew. Pettigrew had been friends with Professor Lupin, Sirius Black and James Potter. There were four names on the Marauder's Map.

Thrilled at her own brilliance, Alaw climbed properly into the stone passage and slid to the bottom. She couldn't wait to tell the others! She jogged along the tunnel, one hand on her handbag to stop it from bouncing against her hip. It was about a mile's journey into Hogsmead and when Alaw reached the end she scampered up the ladder. It suddenly occurred to her that Honeyduke's might not be open at this hour, but there was no need for her to worry. The shop was full to bursting point with Hogwarts students, foreign visitors and adult witches and wizards who had descended on the tiny village to watch the spectacle. The shop owners of Hogsmead were sure to make a killing tonight.

Alaw battled her way through the swarm until she found herself outside in the warm May evening. The sun was starting to set and the sky was stained pink, shot through with gold. Hermione and Neville were exactly where they had said they'd be, next to the door to the Three Broomsticks which was blazing with light and laughter.

"Boo!" Alaw said, jumping on Neville from behind.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," he whispered, shaking her off. "The teams are inside, oh, and Tracy Davis came by earlier and asked if you were around."

"What did you say?"

"Sort of shrugged and said we didn't know, she might tell someone you were out of bounds."

"Tracy wouldn't do that," Alaw snorted, leading the way into the pub. "She's a mate, she did my tattoo remember?"

The Three Broomsticks was absolutely heaving and there was no way they would get close enough to the Hogwarts team to congratulate them, not with all the reporters and Ministry officials crowded around them. The girls gave Neville some money and sent him to try and order drinks whilst they headed for the stairs to find a spot on the balcony. They managed to squeeze in with Fred and Lee Jordan who were busy flicking peas down on George's head below.

"Hey, you made it!" Fred said when he caught sight of the girls. It was far too hot in the pub so Alaw had stuffed her cloak into her bag for the time being. There was little chance of being noticed in all the kerfuffle. "You sticking around for the fireworks?"

"Of course!" Alaw said excitedly, taking a handful of dried peas and taking aim. Theodore and Pansy were standing within range and they both yelped when the peas pinged off the top of their heads. Alaw sunk low in her chair and chuckled evilly.

"Very mature," said Hermione acidly.

They were all disinclined to give up their spot so they spent the entire night encamped up on the balcony. They were soon joined by George who had managed to escape the reporters, and Lydia who had tagged along with him. Conversation and butterbeer flowed easily, though it was a little hard to get drunk when every trip to the bar lasted a good forty minutes. Alaw contented herself with being tipsy and laughing at Fred and George's jokes. After such a stressful year, this was a pleasant way to end things.

The fireworks were set to start at quarter to twelve, following the ceremonial handing over of the Quidditch Cup to the Hogwarts team, so George and Lydia hurried away to prepare at about quarter past eleven. The others waited a little longer before making their way onto the high-street. Even though they were quite far back in the crowd, they could just make out the raised platform where Cornelius Fudge stood with Dumbledore and Karkaroff. The latter seemed to be trying to put on a graceful looser face but he was struggling.

The crowd cheered as both teams walked onto the platform from opposite ends, minus Ron of course. He would be kicking himself for missing this. Fudge gave a very dull speech, congratulating Hogwarts and Durmstrang, and all the other teams, for their spending performances. Oliva Flint shook hands with the Durmstrang captain again, before accepting the cup from Fudge. She and the rest of the team hoisted it into the air triumphantly, just as the first firework zoomed into the sky.

"Woah!" Alaw gasped as an image of the Hogwarts crest burst into life high above them. "How'd they do that?"

She had never seen Wizarding fireworks before and they were quite spectacular. The crowd wooed and aahed appreciatively as the symbols of all elven schools decorated the night sky. Alaw was just clapping a particularly lovely purple and green dragon when something caught her eye. Theodore Knott was looking right at her and smiling triumphantly. He then started looking around for his cronies and Alaw ducked away, cursing her own stupidity. It was such a warm evening that she hadn't bothered to put the cloak back on, but a dark crowd was the perfect place for Theodore to stage the hexing he had been promising her for months.

Alaw ran into a narrow alley, at the end of which she knew the Hogshead was situated. If she could reach the pub then the bar tender would be there to witness any funny business, but she'd better put the cloak on just in case. Alaw slowed down to try and tug the cloak free but she gave a yelp as something moved in her bag. She paused, pressing herself against one of the walls, and extracted the struggling animal.

"Scabbers!" she hissed. "How'd you get in there?"

What happened next was so bizarre that Alaw didn't know how to react to it. The rat grew hot and Alaw dropped him in alarm. Then, he started to grow. Like a spend up film of a growing tree, a man shot out of the ground and a moment later there was no trace of the rat. Alaw gawped at the short, balding stranger, whose face was hard to make out in the gloom. Then she opened her mouth to scream as he grabbed her tightly by the arm and twisted, a wand raised in his other hand.

Alaw's scream was cut short as an immense pressure enveloped her and she was unable to draw breath. It was a terrifying sensation, all she could see was a rush of colours and all she could feel was tight bands squeezing the air from her lungs. Before she could go into full panic mode however, the sensation fell away.

Alaw fell to the ground with a thump when her legs gave way on landing. She lay there, shivering with her eyes screwed up, and heard footsteps scurrying away. After some of the shock had worn off, her eyes snapped open. She was lying on a patch of grass with stones all around her. She looked around wearily. She was in the middle of a small graveyard. A ruined church stood at one end, beyond a gnarled yew tree. Alaw couldn't see much else, partly because it was so dark, but also because the graveyard was in a sort of dip in the earth and high banks surrounded it on all sides.

There was no sign of the man who had brought her here, or anyone else for that matter.

"Where the hell..?" Alaw muttered, pushing herself up on a nearby tombstone.

She looked around more carefully, her wand at the ready. It was eerily quiet and she lit her wand in order to search the grass, in case her kidnapper had resumed rat form. The light fell on a cauldron, so large, Alas could have sat inside it comfortably. There was no fire beneath it but it was brimming with a dark, oily potion.

"Where's Draco when you need him," Alaw murmured, squinting at the potion dubiously.

Then she jumped as something exploded far above her head and reflected off the liquid. Turning, she saw a firework spinning in the distance, and it was soon joined by another, and another. Alaw ran to the top of the bank to get a better view and saw immediately where she was. Down the valley was the village of Hogsmead, and the fireworks were merely the end of the performance they'd been watching. Beyond that was the great lake and Hogwarts castle, its many lit windows glimmering in the night. As the last fireworks faded away a voice sounded behind Alaw, a terrible, bone chilling voice that sounded like death.

"Take her."

Alaw whipped around in time to see the rat-man step out of the shadows by the church, raise his wand and point it at her. An invisible force hooked her behind her knees and sent her tumbling painfully down the bank. Then she was being lifted into the air by a spell and thrown around like a rag doll. She hit the trunk of the yew tree with a grunt and was grabbed by the rat-man before she could move. She struggled as he used his wand to bind her hands together and lift them above her head to a sturdy branch. He also tied her ankles together so that she dangled there on the tips of her toes, her muscles stretched taught.

For the first time she got a proper look at the man's face and she opened her mouth in surprised recognition, before he gagged her.

It was Peter Pettigrew. She recognised him from the photograph Lupin had, and her dream. Pettigrew, who was supposed to be dead, supposed to be have been blown to little bits twenty years ago.

"Hurry! Wormtail!" said the rasping voice once more and Pettigrew turned his back on Alaw to pick something up from the ground by the church.

Twisting her head awkwardly, Alaw tried to see what it was. It looked like a bundle of robes, but it was moving, stirring pathetically. A baby? Surely not. Then, as Pettigrew came closer to her, Alaw felt a savage, needle sharp pain in her heart and she made a sound of distress.

 _Oh no_ , she thought in horror, _no, it can't be, please God no!_

But it was. Wormtail opened the bundle and revealed the most disgusting, horrific thing Alaw had ever seen. It had the shape a small child, but it didn't seem to have any skin, its surface was raw and sticky with blood. And its face, its face was twisted like it was in terrible pain.

"Now!" it hissed in a strained manner.

Pettigrew dropped the thing into the cauldron where it splashed and sank. Could it drown? Maybe it would just die! Wormtail was talking, reciting something.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly taken, you will renew your son!"

He waved his wand at the bundle of robes which now lay on the ground. A bone, possibly a tibia or a fibia, rose out of it and fell into the cauldron. Alaw watched this with her chest rising and falling rapidly. This sounded like very Dark Magic indeed to her, the kind of thing Lupin always warned them against, evil, unnatural magic. Pettigrew was sobbing now, his hunched frame shaking so badly he could barely keep a grip on the knife he had withdrawn from a pocket of his robes.

"F-flesh, of the servant, willingly sacrificed, you will restore, your master!" Pettigrew wailed, almost incoherently.

He raised the knife high and held out his other hand. Alaw couldn't look away, she was too paralysed from horror to even close her eyes. The knife flashed as it came down and Pettigrew screamed.

His severed hand followed the bone into the cauldron, and the potion bubbled more than ever, turning a poisonous shade of green. Pettigrew sank to the floor, crying over his stump, but a moment later he had forced himself to his feet again and he advanced on Alaw. Alaw began to wriggle in her bindings, desperately twisting and squirming but the ropes that bound her only tightened painfully. Pettigrew grabbed her chin to hold her steady but she shook her head free.

Pettigrew punched her in the face. Dazed, Alaw felt blood trickling down the side of her head and her eye swell up.

"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe!"

Pettigrew sliced open the skin just above her left wrist. Alaw yelled in pain and Pettigrew went back to the cauldron where he flicked the bloody knife, and a few droplets splashed into the potion. The pain in Alaw's arm and head became nothing, nothing at all, compared to the agony that blossomed in her chest. It felt like someone was gripping her heart and squeezing it with all their might, and Alaw felt sure it would give out, that she would die there, hanging from the yew tree.

The potion had turned a dazzling white when Alaw's blood was added to it, and Pettigrew stumbled backwards to slump against a nearby headstone. Steam was gushing from the cauldron now, and red sparks flew in all directions. As the pain in Alaw's heart reached such a pitch that she was rendered temporarily blind, she heard a triumphant laugh.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

 **Hear Me Roar**

When the pain ebbed slightly Alaw was able to open her eyes a fraction, her body trembling, and see the figure which rose out of the cauldron.

When she had met Voldemort the previous year, he had been nothing more than a face sticking out of the back of Quirrel's head. This creature was completely different, much more tangible yet somehow more alien. He had no genitals, his skin was unnaturally white and hairless, his skull was veined, and his eyes flashed briefly red, before taking on a cold blue. His face had an inhuman, snakelike quality.

"Robe me," he whispered, and Pettigrew staggered over to his master to drape the black robes about his shoulders.

Voldamort's expression was one of rapture as he began to examine his new body. His hands; like pale spiders, caressed his chest and face. He looked at Alaw, who jerked back as far as the ropes would allow her, and smiled cruelly. He did not speak to her however, he withdrew a wand from the inside pocket of his robes and began to examine it instead. Then he pointed it at Pettigrew.

"Crusio!"

Pettigrew screamed and fell his knees for the third time. Alaw wondered if the sound could possibly carry all the way down the mountainside. Maybe someone in the village would hear! The Law Enforcement Squad, Dumbledore, anyone!

"It is time," Voldamort murmured and he walked towards Pettigrew who cowered.

"Hold out your arm, Wormtail," he said lazily and Pettigrew gave a kind of hysterical laugh.

"Oh master, thank you!" He extended his stump.

"The other arm Wormtail," Voldemort laughed softly.

"But, Master, you promised!" Pettigrew whimpered.

However, under his master's frightening gaze, he held out his uninjured arm. Voldamort seized it and pushed back the sleeve up to the elbow, revealing a strange mark there. It was a tattoo and Alaw, in spite of her herself, craned her neck to see what it was. It looked like a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth and Alaw felt cold recognition wash over her. It was the Dark Mark. She had seen it in the many text books she and Hermione had read on the rise of the Dark Arts, and she knew it was the sign the Death Eaters shot into the sky whenever they killed.

"It is back," Voldemort said in a satisfied voice. "Now let us see who shall answer the call."

He pressed his forefinger to the Mark and both Alaw and Pettigrew whined in pain. Voldamort released Pettigrew and after a moment's pause, began to pace up and down before the yew tree. Each time he turned, he glanced first at the sky, and then at Alaw. Her eyes followed his progress wearily. On the fifth turn he spoke to her.

"I do apologise for inconveniencing you so, my dear, but it shan't be for much longer. We are awaiting some special guests."

Voldemort suddenly stopped talking and looked around sharply. The air was suddenly thick with magic, and dark figures were popping into existence, appearing behind the headstones and coming towards Voldemort with cautious steps. They were all cloaked in black and wore metallic death masks. They formed a kind of semi-circle around Voldemort and the yew tree. They left gaps however, as though there were people missing.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort, almost offhandedly. "I see you are all punctual as ever, as though I were never gone, as though you are still my faithful servants."

A frisson ran around the semi-circle and after a pregnant pause, one man flung himself forward onto his knees and crawled towards Voldemort to prostrate himself at his feet.

"Master! Forgive me, forgive us all!" he begged. Voldemort laughed softly and raised his wand.

"Crucio."

Like Pettigrew, the man on the ground shrieked and writhed. Then Voldemort lifted the curse.

"Get up Avery. Get up. You ask for forgiveness? You? Who never tried to find me? Who slipped back among the fools at the Ministry and contented yourself with defending rich drunkards when they assault whores? And I want twenty years or repayment before I can forgive."

Avery flinched, and he scrambled back to his place. Voldemort looked around at the Death Eaters and there was no humour in his expression.

"Twenty years," he hissed, his voice dripping with fury. "Two, long, decades. And not one of you came looking, when I was most in need of you. Why? I know the answer, you believed me dead. You believed that I, who has travelled further than anyone on the path to immortality, could be killed by a mere mudblood. An infant."

At these words, many of the Death Eaters glanced towards the tree where Alaw dangled.

"Ah yes, I believe you all know our young guest. I hear she has gained quite a bit of fame since I have been absent, breaking centuries of tradition and besmirching the noble house of Slytherin."

Alaw's chest rose and fell rapidly as her eyes darted around the watching circle. Voldemort moved closer to her and her gaze snapped to him instead. One of the watching Death Eaters stepped forward and Alaw heard a familiar drawling voice.

"Master, we crave to know, we beg you to tell us, how you achieved this - this miracle! How you have returned to us!" said Lucius Malfoy.

"Ah Lucius, my slippery friend, it is quite a tale. And it begins, and ends, with our young guest here."

Voldemort reached out, and stroked a strand of her hair between forefinger and thumb. She cringed and the Dark Lord laughed softly.

"As I am sure you are all recall, twenty years ago I was in pursuit of a certain mudblood. On the night she was born, Peter here sent word of her location and I proceeded there with haste, because I made it my business to rid the world of mongrels."

Alaw frowned and looked over and Pettigrew, still slumped against a headstone and weeping silently. Him? It was he who had sold her location to Voldemort, not Sirius Black! Had they been accomplices after all then? Had Black really been in on the faked death all along?

"But he could not have known any more than I, that Miss Jones' blood, though still filthy, was a very special kind of mud and that an ancient magic was protecting her which even Dumbledore had not predicted."

Voldamort turned his snake like face towards Alaw and gazed straight at her. She gazed back, and a weird sort of understanding passed between them. She knew what he was talking about.

"Druid," he hissed at her and she blinked once, as if in confirmation. "A druid!" Voldemort repeated more loudly so that his servants could hear. "That long dead line of bloodthirsty Celts. It has long been said that they practised human sacrifice and it is now proven. This is an old magic that I admit I did not foresee. A mass sacrifice on the threshold of the Roman invasion, to protect the young of their bloodline from harm, love magic in other words, primitive and savage. Until the child came of age, no spell could kill her, injure yes, but not kill."

Alaw knew all this already, Dumbledore had told her last year. And Pettigrew must have overheard her speaking to Hermione and the boys about it.

"When my curse hit her it rebounded. I should have been killed, like that fool Quirell when he also tried to kill Miss Jones. But, one or other of my experiments must have succeeded for I was not dead, though my consciousness was ripped from my body and almost all my magical power was robbed."

Alaw remembered, fleetingly, Barty Crouch's words back in the Three Broomsticks as he told the story of the night Voldemort had been destroyed. _I was one of the first on the scene, his body was burned almost beyond recognition, but the baby was unscathed, she'd even gone back to sleep as I recall._

"In that state I would have been easy prey for Dumbledore and the Ministry officials who were on their way. So, I fled. I could still possess those with weak minds for a time and I was able to make my way to a remote forest on the continent, far from Dumbledore's meddling. And there I waited, expecting that one of my faithful Death Eaters would come searching for me. I waited in vain.

Alaw could feel the anger pulsating from the Dark Lord, though his expression was still calm. The Death Eaters must have sensed it too for they cringed and shifted uncomfortably.

"Then, finally, last summer one of you did return. Peter here, found me."

Attention briefly shifted to Pettigrew who looked like he was about to pass out from blood loss. Voldemort seemed quite unconcerned by his plight.

"Yes he came looking for me, for he had heard that his old friend Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. Terrified of retribution, Peter sought me out and asked for my protection. In return, I had him collect the necessary ingredients for my rebirth."

Voldemort gestured to the now empty cauldron.

"The ritual which revived me tonight is an old one, with a few additions of my own. A potion of my own devise, utilising snake venom from my dear Nagini."

Quite a few of the Death Eaters twitched as something stirred just out of Alaw's vision. She looked up in time to see a truly enormous snake twisting its way along the branch she was tied to.

' _Master,'_ the snake hissed. _'I'm hungry master! This one smells sweet, may I eat her?'_

' _No, not tonight, one day,'_ Voldemort replied.

"But the ritual required some very specific items," he continued in English. "Bone of the Father was easily acquired, Flesh of the Servant was on-hand, but Blood of the Enemy? Peter would have had me use any witch or wizard who had been my enemy, any at all, but I knew which blood would be the most potent. I knew that I could only use the blood of the one who had unwittingly destroyed my body if I wanted to return to full power."

Without warning, Voldemort turned and his hand shot out to grasp Alaw by the chin. Alaw screeched in pain through her gag as her heart twisted and wrenched inside her chest. She wondered how much pain a body could take before it simply gave up. When Voldemort let go he was smiling cruelly.

"But how to get Alaw Jones? Since Black's escape the Ministry has been on high alert and Dumbledore has been watching her more closely than I think even she knows. Peter tried several times to take her from the castle or the grounds but each of his attempts failed. Our only chance was to wait until she left the protection of the wards and apparate her away. And tonight, she kindly obliged."

Alaw closed her eyes tightly and fought back tears. Stupid, stupid, how could she have been so stupid?! Hermione had warned her but she had been too arrogant to listen.

"And there you have it, I have returned, I have a new body despite my Death Eaters' lack of help. Which reminds me…"

Whilst Voldamort proceeded to admonish and punish his faithless Death Eaters, sometimes quite brutally, Alaw tried to think of a way out of her situation. Her wand lay on the ground just a couple of feet away, if she could just drag it towards her with her foot, kick off her shoe, and somehow lift it off the ground, she could free herself. Well, theoretically. Voldamort was busy cursing Draco's father mercilessly and the other Death Eaters were wincing. Alaw slowly extended her foot towards her wand, straining at the ropes as a bead of sweat or blood trickled down the side of her face. But she was foiled in her attempts by Pettigrew, who had staggered over to her and kicked her in the stomach. Alaw doubled up as much as the ropes would allow and whined in pain.

"Peter," Voldemort tutted like a scolding teacher as he turned away from Malfoy. "That's no way to treat a young lady."

"The mudblood was trying to escape," Pettigrew panted. He was very pale, he'd obviously lost a lot of blood. He looked down as his stump, whimpered, then looked pleadingly at Voldemort.

"Master, please!" he sobbed. "You promised, afterwards, there would be no pain."

"So I did," said Voldemort, but there was a cold bite to his tone. "But you haven't exactly been eternally faithful to me, have you Peter? When I was most in need of you twenty years ago, you slipped away out of fear of your old friends. Lupin and Black were hardly going to let you live after what you did, were they? I doubt they would have let you even reach Azkaban still breathing."

Voldemort smiled coldly, and then glanced at Alaw who was staring at him a fascinated confusion. None of this made any sense! Black had betrayed her parents – that was what Crouch had said. Black had killed Pettigrew when he had confronted him – that was what everybody said. Had they all been wrong? Dumbledore, the Ministry, Professor Lupin, had they jailed the wrong man whilst the true traitor scuttled free to live as a rat all this time?! Pettigrew was crying big, fat tears and Voldemort looked down at him with utter contempt.

"But I suppose you did return to me - eventually, and without you I would not have returned to a corporeal form. You deserve a small token of appreciation."

The Dark Lord raised his wand and pointed it at Pettigrew's tattered wrist. Silvery smoke began to issue for a tip and for one, confused moment, Alaw thought he was conjuring a Patronus. But then the smoke solidified into a silver hand at the end of Pettigrew's arm. Peter stared at it in wonder and then gave a sort of hysterical laugh.

"Oh master, thank you! I am honoured!"

"Do not fail me again, Peter. Now join your fellows."

Pettigrew scurried to insert himself into the circle of watching Death Eaters and one of the men spoke up.

"Master, where do we go from here? What are your orders?"

"Our plan, Mulciber, will be the same as it always was. Too long has wizard kind skulked in the shadows whilst the muggles rule over all. They are ignorant beasts but they have numbers. I hear they have been breeding out of control since I have been gone."

Voldemort sneered and once again glanced over his shoulder at Alaw. He seemed unable to stop himself from checking on her every few minutes. Alaw was becoming desperate. Her wand was out of reach, and no one was coming to help.

"We must win the Ministry if we are to put the muggles in their rightful place. It has become a hive of fools and tolerance, but there are some who would support us. And of course, Dumbledore must be dealt with, once and for all. We shall recall the giants, the werewolves, and those witches and wizards who chafe from constant secrecy."

There was a pause, and then Malfoy spoke.

"Master? What of the girl? May we kill her now?"

Voldemort turned to study Alaw who was wishing she had started taking apparition lessons.

"Unfortunately Lucius, that is out of the question, at least for now. As I have already said, her Druidic protection will last until she is of age, and that means there is another year to go. But, that does not mean punishment cannot be extracted until then. Crucio!"

Voldemort's spell hit Alaw squarely in the chest and she screamed with all her might, her back arching almost far enough to snap. She had never felt anything like it in her life, not even the strange heart pains could compare to this. It was as though her whole body had been doused in acid, inside and out, her blood boiled and her skull seemed ready to burst. When it ended, it took her a moment to realise and her screams died in her throat, changing to dry, racking sobs. With no strength to hold herself up, Alaw dangled in her ropes, staring at the ground where her tears spattered.

"Wonderful," Voldemort said happily. "A screamer. You have paid me great insult Alaw Jones, and your blood won't spare you pain or suffering. Come, if you truly are a Slytherin, why don't you stand and face me with dignity?"

Suddenly, the bonds holding Alaw came apart and she flopped onto the ground with a grunt. The Death Eaters laughed as she slowly picked herself up, every movement causing her agony. Then she noticed her wand and she snatched it up, raising it in front of her like a sword. Voldemort chuckled, his eyes boring into hers.

"Yes, I suppose you deserve a sporting chance. Are you prepared? Crucio!"

"Prote-" Alaw didn't manage to finish her spell before the curse hit her again and she fell against the tree. She writhed and twitched like she was being electrocuted but once again, Voldemort broke the curse after only a few seconds.

"A valiant effort," Voldemort said whilst the Death Eaters whooped and jeered. Alaw slid down the trunk of the yew tree and wailed with her clenched fist against her face.

"Please!" she whispered. "Please stop! I didn't do anything!"

"Didn't do anything?" Voldemort repeated incredulously, "My dear child! You were born, that is crime enough for your kind. You also interfered with my plan last year, did you really think there would be no consequences? Now let us try again to teach you a lesson, crucio!"

This time, Voldemort did not stop after a few seconds. The pain was long and drawn out. Alaw screamed and screamed until her lungs could take no more, she thrashed at Voldemort's feet, praying for it to end. The pain reached such a pitch, and her shrieks such a volume, that she roared, not in any human language, but in Parsletongue. The sound echoed off the mountaintop and suddenly, Voldemort lowered his wand. Alaw curled up in a ball, shaking uncontrollably and gasping. There was no laughter from the Death Eaters now, they were all staring in utter astonishment. Then, there came a low hiss.

 _"You speak it?"_

Alaw turned her head and looked up into the Dark Lord's stunned face. His eyes were wide as if you couldn't believe what he had heard.

 _"Yes,"_ Alaw rasped back, still in Parseltongue. It was strange, she'd only ever managed that with Emrys before, now it seemed easy. She'd never heard another human speak the language before either.

" _How is this possible?"_ Voldemort demanded. He looked enraged. His accent was quite curious to Alaw's ears, far more flowing and full of hisses than her own version which was more growling. She supposed vaguely, in the back of her pain addled mind, that it had something to do with the difference between snakes and dragons.

" _I was born with it_ ," she replied in a whisper and Voldemort took a sharp breath.

"I may not be able to kill you, mudblood," he said, now in English, probably for the benefit of the Death Eaters, "But I shall make you wish that I could."

Alaw whimpered and hid her face as Voldemort raised his wand once more. But this time, instead of an incantation, Alaw heard something quite different. She heard a roar and she understood it's meaning quite clearly. _Help is coming, hold on._

She raised her head to look at the sky in astonishment. The Death Eaters were looking up to, gesticulating and gasping. Voldemort said nothing but kept his gaze fixed on the sky. Then, a dark, hulking shadow swooped over the graveyard and there came an almighty screech which reverberated in Alaw's bones and gave her courage. She scrambled to her feet as Emrys landed amongst them, his two inch long teeth bared and a terrible growl emanating from him. He was now quite a monstrous sight and angrier than he had ever been. And he wasn't alone either. A figure descended from his back, brandishing something long and pink. It took Alaw a moment to realise what the object was, because it was so bizarre to see it there. It was Hagrid's pink umbrella.

The Death Eaters went into a full blown panic and started running in all directions, shooting spells at the new comers. The curses streamed off Emrys' scales and, enraged, he let loose a jet of fire, setting the yew tree and two of the Death Eaters alight.

 _'That one! Emrys get the Snake Man! Enemy!'_ Alaw roared in Parseltongue and Emrys turned his ferocious gaze onto Voldemort. To his credit, the Dark Lord didn't run as any sane person would, he stood his ground and raised his wand. He cloaked himself in shields which repelled Emrys' flames. As the two squared off, the man who had rode Emrys into battle grabbed Alaw by the hand.

"Come with me, hurry!" Sirius Black cried. Seeing him there, risking his life for hers, was almost as insane as seeing Pettigrew alive. Black was now aiming a curse at his old school friend but Pettigrew transformed into a rat and was lost in the shadows. The Death Eaters were beginning to rally and Alaw, dismissing Black from her mind for a moment, pointed her wand at the burning Yew Tree.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" she bellowed. The tree was ripped out by the roots and in a sweeping motion, Alaw flung it in a wide ark around them. It wasn't a curse, so the Death Eaters weren't prepared for the ball of fire which knocked each off their feet in turn.

"Nice one," said Black appreciatively, before grabbing Alaw around the waist and hoisting her onto Emrys' back. As he climbed up behind her, Alaw threw the tree at Voldemort and without waiting to see if it hit, shouted,

" _Emrys! Fly away! Fly back to the Nest!"_

With a great downward sweep of his wings, Emrys launched himself into the air. It was by no means a graceful climb, they wobbled all over the place, but Alaw wasn't concerned with perfect flying right now. She just wanted to get as far away from this nightmare as possible. Sirius Black had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and Alaw was clutching Emrys' neck for dear life. A few spells shot into the air after them but soon they were far, far away from the Death Eaters. They soared over Hogsmead, heading for the great black mass which was the Forbidden Forest.

The fact that they were hundreds of feet in the air didn't bother Alaw as much as it normally would have. After what she had witnessed tonight, she doubted anything could ever scare her quite as much ever again. But they were losing altitude in great juddering leaps as Emrys flapped his untrained wings furiously to stay aloft. They were just brushing the tops of the trees when Emrys could go on no longer. They crashed through the upper branches and the ground soared up to meet them at an alarming speed. Alaw and Black were thrown from the dragon's back on impact and thudded into the hard forest floor a few feet away.

Alaw lay stunned for a while until she heard someone stagger over to her and drop to their knees.

"Alaw, Alaw look at me! Are you hurt?!"

Rough hands cupped her face and Alaw opened her eyes. Sirius Black was staring down at her, eyes wide in panic. His hair was just as wild and long as it had been in the picture from the Daily Prophet, and there was untidy stubble around his chin, but somehow he looked much more human in real life, much less frightening.

"He's back," was all Alaw could whisper. She had started to shake uncontrollably and Black helped her sit up.

"I'll get you up to the castle, come on, put your arm around me."

Alaw was too filled with numb horror to argue, or question anything at that moment. She simply did as she was told and allowed herself to be hauled away through the trees. Emrys tried to follow them but Alaw hissed at him to stay by the nest. He complied sulkily, curling up to lick his scrapes clean. It was the longest walk through the forest that Alaw had ever taken. Her whole body ached with every step they took and her breath was still coming in short, sharp pants.

At long last, they came to the edge of the trees and Hagrid's hut was before them, though the windows were dark. Black put Alaw gently down against a tree trunk before running to hammer on the front door. When there was no answer he cursed and looked around wildly.

"Hagrid must still be in the village. Stay right there, I'm going to run for help. I'll be back soon, I promise."

Then, Black shrank down onto all fours and thick black fur sprouted all over his body. Alaw gawped at the huge, shaggy dog now standing before her and recognised him as Snuffles. The dog gave a bark before pelting away towards the castle and leaving Alaw alone. She wasn't sure how much time passed, it could have been a few minutes or it could have been over an hour, all she knew was that she was in grave danger of throwing up. Her hands clutched her bare arms which were cold despite the mild night air and her head was pounding, memories of the Cruciatus Curse sending spasms down her spine.

Then there were people hurrying towards her. The black dog lead the way, bounding over the grass, with Professor Dumbledore hot on its heels and McGonagall and Snape right behind him. The dog reached Alaw first and bumped its snout against her cheek, then Dumbledore was crouching down before her.

"Alaw, what happened? Tell me!" he demanded and Alaw reached out to grab the front of his robes.

"He's back!" she cried, bursting into tears and struggling to draw breathe. "He's back! Voldemort! He's got a body, he used my blood, I couldn't stop it, I'm s-s-sorry!"

Dumbledore took hold of her arms tightly as she lost control and sobbed. Over his shoulder, McGonagall put a hand to her mouth in horror and Snape's face drained of colour. After a moment, Dumbledore looked at the Potions Master who slowly lifted his arm and pulled back the sleeve. The Dark Mark stood out starkly against his pale skin.


	24. Chapter 24

**The penultimate chapter! Not so different from cannon this one, just setting up the events of the next book. Thanks for the reviews!**

 **Chapter 24**

 **Mudbloods and Morons**

Alaw was not taken to the Hospital Wing, instead, Sirius Black half carried her up to her own rooms. The Aurors were nowhere to be seen and Professor Dumbledore took down the wards around the door so they could all enter. Black put Alaw down on the sofa whilst McGonagall pointed her wand at the empty grate and conjured a crackling fire. Snape had disappeared to somewhere but he returned within ten minutes with several coloured bottles. He unstoppered one and handed it to Alaw.

"Drink this first, it will help to combat the aftermath of the Cruciatus Curse. Then drink this, for the shock."

Alaw took the bottles and downed them without objection. She was so numb that she barely registered the foul taste. Her hands were still shaking and every few moments her body gave a great twitch. The potion helped keep this to minimum but it didn't stop completely. Dumbledore sat in the armchair beside the sofa and leant forward, his eyes fixed intently on Alaw.

"Alaw, you need to tell me exactly what happened, please."

"Surely that can wait until the morning!" Sirius Black objected. He was standing by the arm of the sofa and he put a firm hand on Alaw's shoulder. "She's been through enough."

McGonagall, and particularly Snape, were giving Black very hostile looks. Snape actually had his hand wrapped around the handle of his wand. Dumbledore motioned for his deputy heads to stand down.

"Sirius, it is vitally important that we know at once what has happened. We are grateful to you for rescuing Alaw, but you must stay silent for the time being," said the Headmaster, in a tone that brooked no argument.

Black's jaw clenched but he said nothing. He gave Alaw's shoulder another reassuring squeeze, then went to grab one of the chairs from the dining table and bring it over. As he sat down, Alaw raised her eyes to Dumbledore's and swallowed.

"He's back," was all she said, in a tiny voice. Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, but you must tell us how. Tell us what happened."

Alaw took a deep breath but before she could begin her tale, an almighty banging came from the closed door. Then they heard Hermione's voice calling,

"Al?! Alaw! Please tell me you're in there!"

Everyone looked around sharply and a twitch of frustration crossed Dumbledore's face.

"Minerva, send her back to Gryffindor Tower," he muttered but before McGonagall could move, Alaw had leapt up and ran to the door. She yanked it open and found a panicked Hermione and Neville standing in the hall.

"Al! Thank god, we came as soon as we could. Theodore Knott was boasting that he'd cursed you down an alleyway, then we found you're bag so we came straight back to see if you were ok," said Hermione breathlessly.

There was a pause, before Alaw broke down in tears and flung her arms around Hermione. The girls clung to each other whilst Neville peered over their shoulders at the crowd gathered in Alaw's room. Wordlessly, Alaw ushered the pair of them inside and closed the door. Professor McGonagall looked at them sternly.

"Miss Jones, your friends will have to leave, this does not concern them."

But Alaw gave an angry cry and grabbed hold of Hermione and Neville's arms to show they weren't going anywhere. McGonagall looked helplessly at Dumbledore who sighed and shook his head.

"Perhaps they should stay, they will be involved no matter what efforts we make to prevent it. The Dark Lord cares nothing for age."

"Al, what's going on?" Hermione whispered, her gaze flickering between the room's occupants. Neville was gawping at Sirius Black, who still sat in his chair.

"Something terrible has happened," Alaw hiccupped, pulling her friends over the sofa where all three of them sat down.

Without preamble, she began reciting the horrible events of the past two hours. She skated over exactly how she had gotten out of the castle grounds and skipped straight to the firework display. She told them how she had hidden down the side street in Hogsmead, felt something moving in her handbag and discovered Scabbers hiding in it. When she described how the rat had transformed into Peter Pettigrew, everyone except Dumbledore and Black gasped.

"Impossible, Pettigrew is dead. He killed him," Snape said at once, shooting Black a glare.

Black opened his mouth to retort but Dumbledore put up a hand to silence the pair of them and gestured to Alaw to continue. Alaw swallowed and told them in a trembling voice how they had apparated to the graveyard above the village, how Pettigrew had tied her up, and how he had dropped the deformed body of his master into the cauldron.

"Then – he put a bone in the potion, and, and he cut off his hand! He put that in too, and he took my blood."

"Let me see," said Dumbledore gravely and Alaw held out her arm. The cut was still bleeding, though sluggishly and Hermione made a noise of sympathy when she saw it. Dumbledore examined the wound for a moment before healing it with a wave of his wand.

"And this – ritual – it created a fully functional body for Voldemort," he concluded.

"It was horrible," Alaw whispered. "He was horrible! He looks like – I don't know – a freak – all wrong. And he has all his powers back now."

"What did he do?"

"He summoned the Death Eaters, he touched Pettigrew's Dark Mark tattoo and I felt it! It hurt me, right here."

Alaw gestured to her heart and glanced at Snape. Dumbledore also looked at the Potions Master whose mouth twisted as he said,

"I felt my mark burn. They all must have. How many returned?"

"Lots," Alaw croaked. "About a dozen, I think. Lucius Malfoy was there, and Godwin Avery, and someone called Mulciber. He was so angry with them, I felt it," Alaw broke off to shudder, remembering Voldemort's fury coursing through her own veins. How she had felt it, she had no idea. "And he knows about the Druid protection now! Pettigrew must have overheard me talking about it with these guys whilst he was a rat, and he told Voldemort. Voldemort said he was going to wait until I was twenty-one before killing me, and then he made me duel him."

Hermione's hand, which had been rubbing Alaw's arm supportively, twitched.

"You duelled with Voldemort?" she whispered in an awed voice but Alaw just screwed up her eyes and took a sharp breath.

"He duelled," she corrected. "I just stood there. He – he used the Cruciatus curse."

She stopped talking abruptly because the memory was too painful. But she had also reached the point in the story where she wasn't sure how to proceed. If she told them about roaring in Parseltongue, she would then have to tell them how Sirius Black had flown in on Emrys and rescued her. None of the teachers apart from Hagrid knew about Emrys, he would surely be sent away if they did find out and she, Alaw, would be expelled. Thankfully, Black jumped in the spare her.

"I was in the village, I saw Wormtail take her. I found a broom as fast as I could and flew up to the old church. I'd seen spells going off up there."

"And you flew Alaw to safety, going through the Forest so as to avoid the Hogwarts wards," Dumbledore concluded for him.

He sat back in the armchair and turned his gaze to the fire, not saying anything for several long moments. The silence stretched between them but Alaw was disinclined to break it. She just wanted to sit there quietly until she woke up from this horrible nightmare. Snape and McGonagall kept looking at each other and then at Sirius Black. Eventually, McGonagall spoke.

"What are we going to do Albus? Do you think he is still up at the old church?"

"No," Dumbledore sighed heavily. "He will have fled for sure, taking his followers with him. The Ministry must be alerted at once. Fudge is still down in the village I believe, Minerva, please bring him to my office directly, and Rufus Scrimgour too if he is about."

McGonagall nodded and moved swiftly to the door, closing it with a snap behind her. Dumbledore was now looking at Snape grimly.

"Severus," he said softly. "I know it is a terrible thing to ask of you, but you know what you must do. Are you willing?"

"I am," Snape growled. He glanced once again at Black before leaving the room as well. Now, it was just the Headmaster, Black and the students. Dumbledore turned his head and fixed Black with a cool stare. The escaped convict squirmed.

"Albus, please, let me explain," he pleaded but Dumbledore held up a hand.

"You will explain, Sirius, but first I think Remus should be here. Neville? If you would be so kind, you will find Professor Lupin in his rooms."

Neville started at being addressed by his first name and he almost scrambled out of his seat to comply. Black looked suddenly apprehensive and he shifted awkwardly in his chair for a while. After a few minutes he looked anxiously at Alaw.

"Are you alright? Do you need more potion?"

"I'm ok – uh – thanks," Alaw replied.

Now that some of her shock had worn off she was able to fully appreciate how bizarre it was to have a mass murderer sitting in her living room. Then she reminded herself that he had been living as Hagrid's pet dog for the past few months. He must have overheard so much information in that time. It was almost a relief when Neville came back with Professor Lupin hot on his heels, and they didn't have to sit in awkward silence anymore. Black stood up quickly when Lupin rushed in and the two men stared at each other. Lupin's eyes were wide and his face white. Black took a tentative step forward but then seemed to think better of it and dawdled. Finally he simply said,

"Hey, Moony, long time no see."

Lupin clenched his jaw and his eyes flickered to Dumbledore.

"Albus, what is going on? Neville said Voldemort has returned."

The headmaster gestured to the other armchair opposite him and after a pause, Lupin went to sink down into it. Black sat back down too and Alaw, glancing briefly at him, noticed that his hand was clenched into a fist on the arm of the sofa. Dumbledore quickly outlined the events of the evening for Lupin's benefit and he told it the way Alaw had until the very end.

"Then Sirius here flew up to the old church on the back of Alaw's dragon, and rescued her."

"Alaw's what?!" Lupin gasped even as Alaw's head snapped up and she gawped at the headmaster.

"You know about Emrys?!" she squeaked and Dumbledore nodded, smiling faintly for the first time.

"Alaw, there is very little that occurs in this castle that I do not know about. I was aware that Hagrid had purchased the dragon egg from Mundungus Fletcher after the bar tender at the Hogshead overheard the two of them discussing it. Then, when young Charlie Weasley visited the school I guessed Hagrid must have been successful in hatching the creature. I met with Charlie and he explained how Emrys had imprinted on you and how you were able to communicate with him. I deemed that you had the situation under control. I suppose Emrys heard you call out in Parseltongue tonight?"

Alaw nodded with her mouth slightly open. All these months, and she had thought she'd been so clever and sneaky, and Dumbledore knew anyway. Lupin looked between the two of them before shaking his head and leaning forward to rest his elbow on his knee.

"Alright – moving past that – how does Sirius fit in with all this? How can Peter be alive?!"

They all looked to Black who had an agonised look on his face.

"You have it all wrong," he said beseechingly. "What you think happened is not the truth! I never betrayed Megan and Bryn, Peter did." He looked directly at Alaw and leant forward earnestly. "I swear to you Alaw, I would never have turned your parents over to Voldemort. They were so good to me, such kind people. You know you look just like them. I was their Secret Keeper and I never gave up their location. But Peter, he was stationed at Hogwarts and he was keeping an eye on the book of names the whole time. When you were born, he sent word to Voldemort who was able to track you down at the hospital. The Fidelius Charm isn't infallible, especially when it's used on muggles. The protection was on their house, not them personally. I should have been there, I should have been there to stop him. I'm so sorry."

"So you were friends," said Alaw faintly and Black smiled sadly.

"Friends? Your parents welcomed me into their home, made me feel like family. The only comfort I have from this is knowing that they weren't killed. Not like Lilly and James."

Lupin gave a sharp intake of breath and heads turned in his direction.

"Yes, Remus, it was Peter who told Voldemort where to find them too. He heard that the Order was going to use a Fidelius Charm on their home so he tipped the old bastard off before we could do the deed. He's the reason they're dead."

"But why didn't you say any of this Sirius?!" Lupin demanded. He got up swiftly from the chair and began to pace back and forth before the fire agitatedly. "Why didn't you tell us at the time?"

The pain on Black's face was clear to see. He put his head in one hand and ran his fingers through his unkempt hair.

"I should have," he groaned. "But I was so angry! I wanted to find Peter and have him look me in the eye when I asked him why he did it. I tracked him down in London but the dirty like sneak yelled for the whole street to hear how I had betrayed the Order, then he blew up road with his wand behind his back. In all the dust I didn't see him come at me. He'd put a Confundus Charm on me before I could react and transformed into a rat just as the Aurors came running. I was out of my mind, barely remembered who I was, let alone how to tell the Ministry the truth!"

 _Black was deemed mentally unfit for trial and was subsequently committed to Azkaban._ Alaw had read those words herself in the Wizengamot reports she'd dug out in the library. Had no one bothered to check for enchantments?! No, of course not, Crouch had wanted the whole matter closed quickly so that no nasty secrets could come to light. There were plenty of former Death Eaters who wanted to slip away and who had the gold to ensure that happened. Lucius Malfoy chief amongst them.

"My mind started coming back to me over the years," Black continued. "It took a long time, but eventually I was able to think clearly again. It was like waking from a nightmare, and when I did I was determined to get out of Azkaban. Peter was still out there, and all I could think about was getting justice for James and Lilly."

"But how did you get out?" Hermione asked. "How did you get past the Dementors?"

"I turned into a dog," Black explained simply. "Dementors are stupid parasites, they couldn't sense me properly in that form so I slipped through the bars of my cell and swam ashore by night. Then when I got back into the country I heard that there had been Dementor attacks up at Hogwarts recently and there was a rumour going around the underworld that Voldemort had been involved. I knew Alaw must have started school that year, and if Voldemort was back in the picture I wanted to protect her. So I came up here."

There was a pause as they all digested this information. Alaw was struggling to understand.

"But, you could have gone anywhere," she said quietly. "You could have gone abroad, into hiding, why did you come back into danger just for me?"

"I made a promise to your parents," Black replied firmly. "I swore to them that I would protect you whilst you were in the magical world. And – I'll admit – I wanted to track down Peter and kill the lying scumbag."

"Well there's no question of you doing that tonight," said Dumbledore. He hadn't spoken in a while but now he was checking his watch and getting to his feet. "There is much to be done. I must explain what has happened to the Ministry so they may begin tackling Voldemort at once. But first, Alaw, you need to go to the Hospital Wing. You need more potions and a good night's sleep. I will take you there before going to meet Fudge."

Alaw was relieved to hear him mention potions because the ache in her muscles was beginning to worsen. She allowed Hermione and Neville to help her off the sofa with a groan of pain. Black and Professor Lupin also leapt to their feet.

"I want to go with her," Black said at once and Dumbledore gave him an appraising look before nodding.

Black sighed gratefully, before shrinking back into the huge dog. At some point, when she wasn't screaming inside, Alaw wanted to hear the story of how he had come to be an Animagus, but at that moment she was simply too exhausted. Dumbledore led the way out of Alaw's rooms and towards the grand staircase, Neville and Hermione supporting Alaw all the way. They didn't run into anyone as they went, everybody must have still been partying in the village.

The only other patient in the Hospital Wing was Ron, and he was fast asleep in a bed near the door. Mr and Mrs Weasley were sitting with him and they both stood up when the newcomers arrived.

"Good gracious, what's happened?!" Mrs Weasley gasped, taking in Alaw's pale and bloodied appearance.

"Something terrible," said Dumbledore grimly. "Molly, Arthur, I know I can count on you both in the weeks to come, but right now Alaw needs rest. Once she has been seen to I will give you the bare bones of the situation."

The Weasleys looked startled but let Dumbledore go without questioning him further. Whilst he went over to Madam Pomphrey's office, Neville and Hermione helped Alaw over to one of the other beds and put her down on it. Alaw was so shaky that she couldn't even bend down to undo the laces of her Converse, so Hermione did it for her. Madam Pomphrey came bustling over to them just a few moments later, holding a bottle of purple potion and a goblet. After shooing the other two away, she poured out a measure and handed it to Alaw.

"Drink the whole thing please Alaw, it is a potion for dreamless sleep. It will help you sleep through the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse so you'll feel much better when you wake up."

Mrs Weasley gave a gasp as she heard this but Alaw had already thrown back the potion and chugged the entire thing. It was powerful stuff, her eyes drooped closed almost at once and the goblet slipped from her limp fingers. Someone must have caught it for she heard no crash of metal on the stone floor before falling into a deep slumber. She didn't even remember getting under the covers.

o

When Alaw woke, she still felt wretched but at least the spasms had stopped. She couldn't have been out of it for very long because the sky was still dark beyond the mullion windows and all the people who had been in the Hospital Wing before were still gathered around her bed. This now included Ron, who was awake and wrapped in a dressing gown. His head was still heavy with bandages but he seemed alert and well. None of the visitors were looking at Alaw, they were staring towards the doors to the Hospital Wing, where Alaw could hear shouting voices coming closer and closer.

"What do they think they're doing? They'll wake her up!" Mrs Weasley whispered angrily. Mr Weasley got up and cocked his head to listen.

"That's Fudge's voice," he muttered uneasily. "And Dumbledore. Do you think something else has happened?"

The doors of the Hospital Wing burst open and Fudge came striding into the room, followed by Dumbledore, McGonagall, Proudfoot and Mr Crouch.

"Alright, where is she?" said Fudge angrily. "Where is this lunatic?"

Alaw didn't sit up but closed her eyes almost all the way and pretended to still be asleep. She watched through slits as Fudge strode over to her bed and the Weasleys, Neville and Hermione stood to block his way.

"Alaw is asleep!" Hermione hissed. "How dare you come in here making a racket like that?! This is a hospital!"

Madam Pomphrey had just arrived on the scene and started berating the Minister furiously but Fudge ignored the two women.

"I don't care if she's been hit over the head with a bag of wet sand!" he cried. "Wake her up!"

Alaw really didn't want to have to talk to this odious little man but it looked like he wasn't going to go away until he'd heard her story, so she opened her eyes and sat up. The people gathered around the bed started.

"What do you want?" she asked Fudge coldly. The Minister fixed her with a glare.

"I should have known you'd come back to cause trouble again," he complained. "First all that business last year with the Dementor, then the fiasco at the Yule Ball, now this! Raving about You-Know-Who coming back from the dead!"

The teachers all started speaking over each other but Alaw had reached the end of her patience.

"Could everyone please shut the fuck up?! My head is killing me!" she shouted. Silence fell and Alaw adjusted her position to look the Minister directly in the eye.

"You don't believe Professor Dumbledore that Voldemort has his body back?" she said slowly, making sure she had all the facts before beginning her assault. Fudge gave a derisive bark of laughter.

"Well of course not!" he scoffed. "The whole thing is ridiculous! You-Know-Who died twenty years ago from a backfired curse. We found his body! It was taken to the Ministry for confirmation then properly disposed of."

Alaw blinked and continued to gaze at Fudge, not saying anything for several moments.

"Do you know where his body was found? Do you know what he went there to do that night? Or why the curse backfired? Because, and correct me if I'm wrong, I thought you were just a junior grunt in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes at the time."

Fudge opened his mouth and went a little pink before rallying himself.

"When I was elected Minister for Magic, I was fully briefed on all information concerning the death of You-Know-Who."

"So you do know what he tried to do, you do know that he went to that hospital to try and kill me? And that the curse bounced back off me and destroyed his body?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Fudge asked angrily.

"I'm just trying to understand why you're treating me like some idiot muggle-born who doesn't know what she's talking about."

The flush in Fudge's cheeks deepened but it was an angry blush now. He scowled.

"Now look here Jones, I am the Minister for Magic! I will not be spoken to like that by an underage witch who barely knows a thing about the wizarding world! You were only an infant when that happened, you _don't_ know what you're talking about. He was killed, that's the end of it. And now you are either lying or you're brain has been addled through some misuse of magic!"

"This girl is as sane as you or I!" the matron jumped in. "I conducted a full examination when she was brought in and all I found was nerve damage caused by the Cruciatus Curse!"

"Oh and that proves that the Dark Lord has returned from the dead does it?"

"He wasn't dead!" Alaw shouted, her temper rising with every word that left Fudge's mouth. "His body and powers were destroyed but his consciousness escaped! He's been hiding out in some forest on the continent all this time! And last summer Peter Pettigrew tracked him down and helped him return to this country! He has his body back now! And his Death Eaters have returned to him!"

"I have already explained this to you, Cornelius," Dumbledore added. His voice wasn't raised, but there was a firmness there that was more frightening than shouting. "There was no need to disturb Alaw's recovery simply to have her tell you the same thing. Now it is imperative we move quickly, many of Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters are in prominent positions in the wizarding society. They will cause untold damage if we do not tackle them at once. Chief amongst them, Lucius Malfoy."

Fudge took a few steps away from the bed towards Proudfoot and Crouch, perhaps to make himself feel safer among his own people. Then he rounded on Dumbledore.

"That is a scandalous accusation," he snarled. "Malfoy was cleared of being a Death Eater at the end of the war. He was a blameless victim of the imperious curse. Since then he has been a model citizen, donating to excellent causes."

"What, like your last election campaign?" Alaw snapped. Fudge had the decency to look briefly abashed but once again he pushed past it.

"You are deluded Dumbledore, you have no evidence what-so-ever to suggest the Dark Lord has returned, other than the word of this girl. And quite frankly, she has proved herself time and time again to be nothing but trouble."

Proudfoot chose this moment to but in.

"The girl's a sneak. We've been trying our hardest to keep her safe from Sirius Black all year, but she's never where she's supposed to be. She's always creeping off somewhere or other."

"You see, Dumbledore? An ungrateful, sly little minx. I wouldn't be surprised if she managed to wander into Black's clutches tonight, and the curses she took were his doing! And now she's lost her mind completely. It seems to me that you are all using this as an excuse to destabilize the peace we have worked so hard to achieve!"

The black dog who stood guard at the foot of Alaw's bed gave a low, menacing growl and Alaw sat up a little straighter.

"You're all the same," she said through gritted teeth and everyone looked at her. "Wizards and Muggles, all the fucking same! You're all a bunch of spineless, greedy, grasping bastards! All you care about is power and money! You'd let this world burn to the ground before you'd admit that you were wrong."

"And what makes you so special?" Proudfoot asked. Alaw gave a grim smile.

"I'm not a wizard, and I'm not a muggle. I'm a mudblood."

Hermione and Mrs Weasley gave quiet gasps and after a moment, Fudge said,

"You see? Quite mad, and vulgar to boot."

And then there was silence. Madam Pomfrey was standing frozen at the foot of Alaw's bed, her hands over her mouth. Mrs Weasley was standing next to Alaw with her hand on her shoulder. Neville, Ron, and Hermione were staring at Fudge.

"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, "we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I — I shall act as I see fit."

Dumbledore's voice carried no hint of a threat; it sounded like a mere statement, but Fudge bristled as though Dumbledore were advancing upon him with a wand.

"Now, see here, Dumbledore," he said, waving a threatening finger. "I've given you free rein, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves," Fudge glanced toward Professor Lupin and Alaw raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me —"

"The only one against whom I intend to work," said Dumbledore, "is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side."

It seemed Fudge could think of no answer to this. He rocked backward and forward on his small feet for a moment and spun his bowler hat in his hands. He didn't say another word, he merely gave a strange sort of huff and strode off towards the doors of the Hospital Wing, Proudfoot following in his wake. Barty Crouch gave Dumbledore a trouble look, but also remained silent and left the hospital. The doors thumped shut behind them.


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Notes – So that's it, all done and dusted for instalment two. That took longer than expected but I'm quite pleased with the end result. Thank you so much to all my reviewers and followers, and I hope you all stick around for Hog Chron 3!**

 **Chapter 25**

 **Alaw's Turning Point**

The moment they were gone, Dumbledore turned to the people gathered around the bed.

"We must act quickly," he said grimly. "Cornelius' attitude, though not wholly unexpected, complicated matters. Minerva, we must alert the old crowd, tell them that we are reviving the Order of the Phoenix. You know who to contact, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, Alastor. Tell them to meet up at Aberforth's today at nine."

"Leave it to me," said McGonagall at once, and she too strode off towards the exit. Next, Dumbledore spoke to Mr Weasley.

"Arthur, not everybody at the Ministry will be as short-sighted, can I trust you to get the word out discreetly to those you think might be of some help?"

"Of course!" Mr Weasley said with a nod, "Fudge was always a lost cause I think. He'd never believe something like this on the word of a muggle-born, but you're right, there will be others we can talk some sense into. Kingsley might be our best bet you know. I'll send him an owl at once."

And then he too left the ward. Whilst Dumbledore began discussing the possibility of approaching more people to recruit for the Order, Alaw frowned at the bedsheets. A troubling thought had just occurred to her. Voldemort had several Death Eaters who were in positions of influence at the Ministry, and the Ministry had records of the addresses of muggle-borns, hers included. That meant her family were in terrible danger. Something had to be done about that right away.

"Sir?" she piped up. "Professor Dumbledore!"

"Not now, Alaw," said Dumbledore quietly. "You're part is over, you may rest easy. Drink some more potion and get some sleep. You've earned it."

"But Sir!" she said angrily but he had already begun to turn away. "Wait! What about my family?! The Ministry knows where I live, it's only a matter of time before Voldemort finds out and sends people after my parents!"

Dumbledore paused and turned back to give Alaw one of his penetrating stares. He seemed to be doing some very quick thinking.

"A good point Alaw. Yes, that will need to be dealt with as soon as possible. In the morning, you and I will go to your home to set up protective enchantments. But now, you need to sleep."

This wasn't entirely reassuring but Alaw didn't argue as Dumbledore walked away with Professor Lupin, continuing their discussion in low voices. She was still very tired, perhaps a few more hours sleep wouldn't hurt. Madam Pomphrey went to fetch more sleeping draft whilst Mrs Weasley rearranged Alaw's pillows and tucked the blanket around her. The black dog climbed up onto the mattress and lay down at the foot of the bed, it's head on its front paws. Mrs Weasley gave the animal a frown.

"Where did that dog come from? Is he yours Alaw?"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you," Alaw murmured sleepily. The matron returned with the potion and after taking a hefty swig, Alaw closed her eyes and drifted off again.

O

When Alaw left the Hospital Wing with Ron, Hermione and Neville, it had just turned noon and glorious sunshine was streaming through the windows. Most of the castle's inhabitants were outside enjoying the weather, including the foreign teams, who would be leaving the following morning after a sumptuous farewell feast that evening. It felt surreal to Alaw, hearing laughter drifting in through the open windows and seeing people splashing around on the shores of the lake. Everything had changed, and yet those people had no idea what evil had been unleashed upon the world. Alaw really didn't want to be the one to tell them.

Her friends hadn't asked her anything about what had happened, they hadn't really said anything at all since she woke up. It was like they didn't know what to say. The four of them simply walked in silence down the marble staircase to the Entrance Hall where Professor Dumbledore was waiting.

"How are you feeling today?" Dumbledore asked once they had approached.

"Ok, I think," said Alaw. She did feel better, physically at least, there was no lingering pain from the curses she'd taken. But the horrifying images in her mind were going to take a while to fade. Hermione gave her a quick hug.

"We'll see you tonight at the feast."

The sunshine warmed the top of Alaw's head as she walked with the headmaster down the driveway towards the gates topped with the winged boars. Knowing they were going to Beddgelert, she'd made sure to wear muggle clothes, and she didn't care if people pointed and giggled at her bare legs.

"Where do you think Voldemort's gone, sir?" Alaw asked once they had gained the solitude of the lane into Hogsmead. Dumbledore considered her before answering.

"He will have set up a base of operations by now, no doubt in the home of one of his Death Eaters. Old pureblood family estates have centuries of magical protection woven into the stone. He will be very secure there, no doubt."

They walked a little further in silence, the only sounds being the faint breeze rustling the leaves in the forest, and the twittering of birds.

"It's all going to start again, isn't it?" Alaw asked quietly. "Like before, there'll be murders and kidnappings soon. He's going to get the giants and the werewolves and the vampires back on side."

"Not immediately, I think," said Dumbledore shrewdly. "The Ministry's refusal to believe in Voldemort's return means he has a few months where he will have to move cautiously, or risk alerting them. He will set his plans into motion very quietly indeed."

"What did you think his plans are, sir?"

This time Dumbledore didn't answer, he merely stopped in his tracks. They were now at a point in the lane where they could neither see Hogwarts behind them, nor the village in front of them. They were quite alone.

"Take my arm, Alaw, and hold on tightly."

Alaw hesitated before doing what she was told. She knew they were about to apparate, and she hadn't enjoyed it at all when Pettigrew took her. But perhaps this would be better, she was doing it voluntarily after all.

It was not better. It still felt like she was being forced through a tiny tube, air pressing in on her from all directions. Just when she thought she might suffocate, the sensation ended and Alaw was able to suck in a huge gulp of clean air.

 _Don't throw up, don't throw up_ , she thought desperately, but it was no good. She staggered a few feet and vomited. After the nausea had passed, Alaw straightened up and pulled a face at the nasty taste in her mouth.

"You'll get used to it," said Dumbledore, holding out cup of water which he had conjured out of thin air. "Most people do that their first few times."

As Alaw sipped in embarrassment, she looked around and saw that they were standing on the quiet walking path which ran alongside the river of her home town. When she raised her eyes she saw the familiar peaks of Snowdonia surrounding them.

"This is a beautiful place," Dumbledore commented and Alaw nodded absently.

She led the way this time, taking the path until the village came into view. There were plenty of people milling around on the main street and the benches outside the pub were full to bursting. It was the height of the tourist season after all.

"Are we actually going to tell my parents what's going on?" Alaw asked once they had crossed the bridge in the middle of the village and passed the church. Alaw was now beating the familiar path out of town along the lane to the farmhouse her family had lived in for generations.

"I think it is best if do not alarm them unduly," said Dumbledore. "We will be able to set up the wards without disturbing them. It is lucky that your bloodline has remained in this place for so long, this land knows you now."

They were within sight of the house now, with its low stone wall and white gate. Her mother's tulips were in full bloom and waving lazily in the breeze and the windows had recently been washed so they were gleaming.

"Mum and Dad will be at work," Alaw explained as she opened the gate. "And Osian will be at school, he has exams soon. Nain used to live with us but she's not been well for a couple of years now and she's had to move to a nursing home."

"Good, then we won't be disturbed."

Dumbledore peered up at the house intently. Then he began walking around the property, pausing every now and then to examine the walls or the window sills. He was also counting his footsteps and after making two trips around the garden, he held out his hand palm up and placed his wand on it.

"Point me!" he murmured and the wand spun around and pointed back towards the village.

"We will place a ward stone here, and also at the other cardinal points," Dumbledore decided. "I will need four stones of roughly equal size. Do you think your parents will mind if we borrow some from the garden wall?"

"Probably, but they won't know it was us," said Alaw, striding over to the wall and starting to yank at the stones. The mortar which kept them loosely in place was old and crumbled easily. "This is local stone, that's good for warding right?"

"It is indeed, you have studied wards in Ancient Runes?"

"Not yet, we'll start that next year," Alaw panted, and with some effort she managed to loose four fist sized stones. "But I've started reading ahead."

As Dumbledore began carving tiny runes into the rocks using his wand, occasionally muttering spells over them, Alaw sat on the wall and looked up at the house. It would be hers one day, many years from now. Her father was the eldest on his side of the family and had inherited the house from Alaw's grandfather when he had died a few years previously. Alaw had been close to her grandfather, who had been the vicar of this parish for many years. It was he who had married her parents, and christened Alaw and her brother, before retiring. Alaw had lived in this house her entire life, as her Nain and Taid had never been in excellent health and her parents had moved in with them shortly after their marriage. Dumbledore was right, she had roots here. Voldemort would not find it easy to rip them up.

"How did you know which muggle-born Voldemort was going to try and kill, sir?" Alaw asked, voicing a question which had been bugging her for months but had fallen to the back of her mind. Last night's events had brought it back to her. Dumbledore paused and glanced up at her.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Alaw," he said and Alaw resisted the urge to glower at him.

"You sent Sirius Black to protect my parents when mum was pregnant with me. But how did you know I'd be a witch when I was born? There's no way to tell beforehand, only when the Book of Names notes it down. And how did you know which couple to protect? There must have been millions of people about to give birth, and why did Voldemort want to kill a muggle-born who hadn't even been born yet? How did he know who to go after?"

Dumbledore lowered his eyes to the rune stones which were nearly finished and didn't answer for several moments.

"I was tipped off," he said eventually, and he sounded like he was choosing his words very carefully. "An acquaintance of mine had it on good authority that Lord Voldemort was hunting for your parents. The acquaintance was also able to give me their approximate location, so I was able to send Sirius in before disaster struck."

"Who was this acquaintance?" Alaw asked suspiciously. "Were they spying on Voldemort?"

"I'm sorry Alaw, but that is not for me to reveal. It would compromise my source. One day, perhaps."

Alaw was gobsmacked that Dumbledore, after everything that had happened, was _still_ fobbing her off with lame excuses. She was so angry that she couldn't get the words out for a few moments. She simply glared at Dumbledore open-mouthed. Dumbledore chose not to notice her fury and instead held out a silver knife, similar to the one she used for cutting Potions ingredients.

"I'm afraid I'm going to need some of your blood, Alaw. This way, all those who share your blood will be given safe passage across the wards. Any others will find themselves rebuffed. I will also cast some anti-apparition wards around the property, and concealment charms, so that the house will be unnoticeable to casual observers. Anyone who already knows of its existence will not be affected."

Though still angry, Alaw decided it was best to deal with this first before demanding a better explanation. She took a deep breath, screwed up her eyes, and pulled the blade across her palm. She gave a yelp of pain and fought back tears. One would have thought that surviving the Cruciatus curse would have toughened her up, but apparently not. After handing the knife back to Dumbledore, she hopped off the wall and took the proffered ward stone in her bloodied hand. Dumbledore used his wand to dig a deep hole into the ground at the northern point of the house and told Alaw to place the now glowing stone into it. They buried the other three in the same manner, at the western, southern and eastern points.

"Here, let me take care of that," said Dumbledore, once they had left the garden and closed the gate behind them. He took Alaw's hand gently and held it palm up, waving his wand slowly over it. The cut tingled and then healed itself in an instant. "There now, your family will be safe from wizarding interference. I have already instructed Arthur to subtly alter the records of muggle-born addresses at the Ministry, so that no one will be able to find you that way. You and your friends are safe. Now then, would you like to remain here or return with me to Hogwarts?"

Alaw looked up at the house and then at the mountains beyond it, carpeted in purple heather and yellow gorse. Term was over now, she didn't have to return to the castle, and it would be nice to see her parents sooner. But there were still things to take care of at Hogwarts, Sirius Black for one.

"No, I think I should go back for a bit. I don't have any of my stuff after all."

Dumbledore smiled and held out his arm for her to take. After grumbling slightly, Alaw complied.

O

The Great Hall was full to bursting point, every seat was taken and the chatter of a dozen languages made the place seem even busier. Alaw was sitting amongst the Gryffindors, shooting speculative looks towards the Slytherins across the hall. Many of them had fathers and uncles who had been in the graveyard the previous evening, would they already know Voldemort had returned? From the tone of the discussion she suspected not. Such information was too important to trust an owl with, they would have to wait until they got home to hear the news. She wondered how they would react. Some, like Theodore, Crab and Goyle would revel in it no doubt. They'd probably see it as a glorious return of the old ways.

Others, like Flora, Cameron and possibly people like Blaise and Daphne would be more cautious. Alaw worried for them. They would have to sever ties with the muggle-borns and half-bloods they'd made friends with this year, or risk becoming outcasts themselves. It was such a shame, the tournament had done wonders on that front. Daphne had even admitted she was starting to quite like Ron and the twins. Alaw made a mental note to look out for her friends in Slytherin as well as the muggle-borns of Hogwarts. Blood traitors were treated almost as badly has half-breeds. Alaw didn't have much of an appetite and she merely picked at her food until the last remnants of pudding vanished from the golden plates. The voices in the hall fell silent as everyone turned expectantly to the headmaster.

Dumbledore stood up at the staff table and surveyed the students with a sad smile.

"This has been a tremendous year," he said, his voice ringing clearly around the hall. "It has been a great honour to have our guests here with us. Truly, it has been wonderful to see the school so alive with laughter and colour. I hope you have enjoyed your stay with us, and that we that we will maintain the bonds of friendship we have forged for many years to come."

Alaw glanced along the staff table where the headmasters and headmistresses of the other schools were seated amongst the Hogwarts staff. They all had the same look Dumbledore had on his face, grim determination. So they had clearly been briefed about the Voldemort situation already. But there was one face missing from the line-up and after letting her eyes sweep the length of the table to make sure, Alaw leant towards Hermione.

"Where's Karkaroff?"

"Victor says they haven't seen him since last night. They think he's sulking because Durmstrang lost," Hermione replied in a whisper.

Though Alaw wouldn't put it past Karkaroff to go off in a strop over something so petty, she had a better inkling of where he was. He had once been a Death Eater, but he had betrayed too many of his fellows to escape Azkaban. He was likely running for his life even now.

"This has been a year filled with joy, so I apologise for ending it with such terrible news, but alas I must. You may not be of age under wizarding law, but you are all old enough to deserve the truth."

There were some curious whispers at these grim words.

"I wish I did not have to tell you all this, but Lord Voldemort has returned."

There was an outbreak of gasps and cries of protest. People turned to their neighbours and started muttering furiously and one bold fourth year over on the Ravenclaw table shouted,

"That's insane! He's dead!"

"He is not dead," Dumbledore answered firmly. "He was merely weakened, his powers robbed. But now he has returned to his full strength through the use of abominable magic. He returned last night, not far from this castle."

Dumbledore paused, to allow the students to process this information. Alaw cocked her head slightly to listen in on the conversations around them at the Gryffindor table. All were shocked, but nobody seemed to be scoffing at the news. Not yet, anyway.

"The Ministry of Magic does not wish for me to tell you this. They are in denial, but whether they believe or not, this does not affect your right to know the truth." Dumbledore gestured to his left and right at the staff. "I have already been in conference with my fellow headmasters and headmistresses and we are all in agreement. We must stand together, be united in the face of this evil. Lord Voldemort's reign of terror did not extend far beyond the shores of Britain, but you will all have heard of his brutality, of the horrors he inflicted on the innocent. He sought, and will seek again, to divide wizardkind. He will tell the world that the differences in our society make us weak, he was tell the world that he can make wizards great again by purging those who are different. This is a lie. The greatness he preaches is no greatness at all, but oppression, division, and hatred.

Our differences should make us strong, we should celebrate this beautiful, diverse world we live in. I see it now, looking out across this hall. And however different we may seem, we are all still humans. Though we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one."

Stunned silence met this speech. Alaw couldn't tell if people had taken in a word of, or if they were still reeling from the shock of the initial news. Then, across the hall, a familiar voice piped up.

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who has come back?" asked Theodore Knott loudly. "Did you see him?"

"His return was witnessed by a Hogwarts student, Alaw Jones, of Slytherin."

Alaw's head snapped up and she stared at the headmaster in horror. How dare he involve her in this! Half the heads in the hall turned in her direction and Alaw felt hundreds of eyes on her. Lavender, Parvati, Dean and Seamus were all staring at her open mouthed. Dumbledore kept talking but very few people were paying attention now. The level of noise was rising, especially at the Slytherin table where an impromptu conference was taking place among Theodore's gang. Alaw sought out Draco in the crowd but he was talking very seriously to Blaise.

"I'll see you guys later at Hagrid's," Alaw whispered to Ron, Neville and Hermione.

Before any of them could stop her she got up swiftly and walked down the length of the Gryffindor table and out of the Great Hall. She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead but that didn't mean she couldn't sense every person in the hall turn to watch her leave. There were no Aurors waiting to shadow her in the Entrance Hall, Fudge had probably ordered them back to the Ministry, so Alaw ran over to the front doors and slipped out into the grounds. The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon but it still warmed her back she strode across the lawn towards the edge of the forest.

When she reached Hagrid's hut she heard men's voices coming from inside, but they stopped abruptly when she knocked.

"Don't worry, it's just me," she called. There were footsteps, and then the door was opened by Professor Lupin.

"Alaw, is the feast over already?" he asked, stepping aside to allow her into the cabin.

Hagrid wasn't there of course, he was still in the Great Hall, but Sirius Black was sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of something in front of him. He looked a little better than he had last night, like he'd had a proper meal and a few hours of sleep. He also appeared to have had a bath and combed his hair.

"No, but Dumbledore decided to tell the whole school that I'd seen Voldemort come back from the dead, so I decided, fuck it, I need a drink. Do you think Hagrid would mind if I nicked his beer?"

Without waiting to hear their opinions, Alaw bent down and opened the cupboard near the sink. It had a cold slate slab inside and special temperature controlling spells to keep the items inside cool, so the bottle she extracted was welcomingly cold. Alaw popped the cap off with her wand then took a long swig before seating herself at the table with the men.

"How are you feeling?" Lupin asked gently and Alaw gazed down at the bottle in her hand.

"Alright I guess, just wish Dumbledore had kept my name out of it. Now hardly anyone is going to believe us! They'll all just think I'm crazy. Or pushing that fabled 'muggleborn agenda'."

Sirius Black snorted into his mug and nearly slopped some of the contents down his clean robes.

"Did you manage to set up the wards around your house?" he asked after a slight pause and Alaw nodded.

"Yeah, no problem. Mum and dad won't even know anything's different. And nobody who's never been there before will be able to even see the house. Of course, that'll be a bit of a ball-ache for delivery drivers, but they have trouble finding their way there anyway."

Black seemed pleased to hear this but after that they all lapsed into slightly awkward silence. Alaw filled it by drinking most of her beer. When nobody had said anything in quite a while, Alaw remembered something.

"Oh, I have something for you actually," she said, putting her drink to one side and fishing in the pocket of her robes. She took a large piece of folded parchment out and laid it on the table. Black and Lupin stared at it, both gobsmacked.

"Where did you find this?" Black asked hoarsely, his hand reaching out to touch the paper.

"Fred and George nicked it off Filch in their first year, and they loaned it to me earlier this year in thanks for a favour. I persuaded them to give it to me permanently earlier today, they won't be needing it much next year, not with their joke shop to set up. And I thought it should be returned to its rightful owners."

Alaw took out her wand and tapped the parchment twice.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. Pretentious password by the way guys, you weren't cool in school were you?"

As the Marauders Map blossomed across the parchment the two men poured over it, exclaiming over certain notations and laughing at inside jokes. After a while, Lupin asked,

"How did you know we wrote this?"

"Actually," Alaw said, colouring slightly. "Voldemort. He kept calling Pettigrew, 'Wormtail', and I knew I'd seen that name written somewhere. Once I remembered where, it was fairly easy to work out who the rest of the Marauders were. I knew he was friends with you all in school. But I want to know how you all became Animagi. I know none of you are registered because I've seen the records and none of you are on there."

Lupin and Black looked at each other and both grinned, though Lupin's was rather sheepish.

"Well," he said slowly. "I suppose it all started with me. With my – ah – affliction."

They spoke well into the night once they started swapping stories. Learning that her favourite teacher was werewolf would have been the most astonishing thing that Alaw had heard all year if it weren't for all the other things that had happened. Ron, Hermione and Neville turned up at around eight o clock and they had to start the story all over again, but Hermione thoroughly irritated the whole lot of them by saying,

"Oh yes, I already know. I worked it out last year. Didn't any of you? Oh come on, it was so _obvious!_ "

In the end, they ended up cracking open several bottles of beer each and it didn't take long for Alaw to decide she quite liked her new god father.

OOOOO

The next morning Alaw woke bright and early, despite her throbbing hangover. The Hogwarts Express would be leaving at eleven to take them all home for the holidays, though Alaw wasn't sure how relaxing they were going to be after everything that had happened. She had a quick shower and then pulled on the shorts and t-shirt she'd left unpacked. Everything else was neatly put away in her trunk and duffle bag, ready to be mysteriously whisked away to the train at some point during the morning. The only other thing Alaw hadn't packed was her invisibility cloak and on her walk to the headmaster's office, she was glad she hadn't. She passed plenty of people who were making their way to breakfast and she wouldn't have wanted them staring at her or asking questions. She tried not to listen to their conversations as she went. She didn't want to depress herself.

There were plenty of things to do once this meeting was over. She needed to go down to the forest and say goodbye to Emrys for a start. She hoped he would be alright over the summer without her. Hagrid was of course going to look after him, but she still worried. And then she had to see Sirius before he left. He had said something last night about 'paying the old dump a visit' but none of them had been quite sure what he meant by that.

"Ice Mice," she said to the guardian gargoyle and he leapt aside to allow her passage. Climbing the stairs was a lot easier when one wasn't wearing a long cumbersome robe. She rapped sharply on the door the headmaster's office and only had to wait a moment or so for her to be told to enter. Dumbledore was busy writing letters at his desk but he glanced up when Alaw came in and his quill paused.

"Oh, Alaw, I'm sorry I thought you were somebody else. I'm sorry but I am very busy today, I have many people to meet with."

"Uh, ok, sorry, I just wanted to talk to you really quickly sir," said Alaw, a little taken aback by how short Dumbledore was being with her. Dumbledore put down his quill and gestured to the chair opposite him.

"Very well, what is it you wish to discuss?"

"Well," said Alaw, plopping down in the chair and pulling it forward a little. "I know you're reforming the Order of the Phoenix. I read all about what they did during the last war and I wanted to let you know, I want to join. Hermione and the boys do too, we were all talking about it last night. I know we'll be at school most of the time but I think we can still be of use to you. There are plenty of students who have Death Eater relatives, some of them might actually become Death Eaters themselves, and Voldemort will probably start recruiting the moment they all get off the train. We can gather intel, and help with logistics and, I don't know, anything you need I guess."

Alaw leant forward eagerly but the look Dumbledore was giving her was hardly reassuring. It was almost pitying.

"Alaw, I am glad to see that you are so prepared to help in the fight against Voldemort, but I'm afraid you can't join the Order."

It felt as if he had just taken all the wind from Alaw's sails.

"Why?!" she asked, disappointment and anger rising in her like a snake.

"The Order is comprised of wizards and witches who are of age, that is to say, who had left school. None of you are old enough to be of much use to the cause. I am sorry."

And astonishingly, Dumbledore picked up his quill and went back to his letter. Alaw sat in her chair, not quite able to believe what she was hearing. But the power of speech returned to her eventually.

"I'm sorry sir, but are you _fucking_ kidding me?!"

Dumbledore looked up in shock.

"Alaw!" he cried but Alaw shot to her feet.

"Don't you give me that crap!" she snarled. "I am twenty years old! I am a grown woman, I'm not just some kid you can dismiss with pathetic excuses. Voldemort is out to kill me! You don't get to decide if I'm involved or not, he already made that decision for all of us!"

All the terror and exhaustion of the past few days was catching up to her and this rant was doing her some good. She was tired of being ignored and told she was too young and stupid to understand anything. But, on the other hand, this was hardly going to convince Dumbledore that she was mature enough to join his stupid club. Alaw took a deep, and hopefully calming breath, and continued in a more measured tone.

"I'm sorry sir, but I am really, really scared right now. I've been seeing Voldemort in my dreams on and off since last year and I want to know why! I want to know why he came after me when I was a baby too! I want to know who this friend of yours is who tipped you off, and how they knew about me in the first place! I'm not a kid, I deserve to know these things."

Dumbledore leant forward and put the tips of his fingers together. He gave Alaw one of his penetrating stares and then answered in a calm voice.

"Alaw, as I have told you before, I cannot compromise my source. The fewer people who know about them, the safer they will be. As for the fact that you can see into Lord Voldemort's thoughts on occasion, even I do not fully understand it. Suffice to say there is some sort of connection between the two of you."

 _Well that's nice and vague, thanks_ , Alaw thought and she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying it aloud.

"I am truly sorry, but this is my final word. You cannot join the Order and you would do best to stay out of its affairs. It isn't safe, and you are still my students, no matter what Voldemort's plans are."

Alaw glared at the headmaster with all the fury she could muster but his serene expression did not change.

"Fine," she said eventually through gritted teeth. "So what did you want me to do instead, sir?"

"Return home, spend the summer with your family, and do not stray too far from the house. You will be safe so long as you stay in the village. You swear it?"

OoOoO

"Hermione!" Alaw cried. Hermione, who had been sitting on the low wall by Hogsmead Station reading a book, jumped out of her skin and looked around.

"Alaw, how did the meeting with Dumbledore go? Are we members now?"

"Nope, he said we have to stay in school like good little children."

Neville groaned and Ron exploded with complaints, but Hermione frowned.

"But, you're smiling, I thought you wanted to join the Order?"

"He also said we should get out the country over the summer. Things are going to get pretty hairy around here, it will be safer for us if we leave. We can finally go on that road trip we've been talking about! Where do you want to go?"

"Disneyland!" Neville cried at once. "You two have been going on about it all year."

"Yeah let's go to Paris! We can go to the Louvre, and see the Eiffel Tower, then we can drive down south and find some quiet spots to chill out," said Alaw firmly.

"But, are you sure it's ok? Shouldn't we tell someone where we're going?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Of course, we'll tell our parents,"

The boys started excitedly discussing where they wanted to go but Hermione frowned at Alaw suspiciously.

"Al, I know that smile, that's your Slytherin smile, that your 'I'm going to do something sneaky smile'. What did Dumbledore actually say?"

"Hermione, I think it's best if you have plausible deniability in this. I'm saying Dumbledore told us to party hard in France, so you should know better than to ask questions that'll only upset you if answered truthfully."

Hermione still looked worried but they didn't have much chance to discuss it before the conductor started calling for people to get on the train. Ron ran forward to secure a compartment for the four of them Alaw had just spotted someone she wanted to talk to before they left.

"I'll be there in a minute," she told Hermione, before running off through the crowd.

Draco deliberately hung back and let his friends get on the train before him so that when Alaw reached him, they could speak in private.

"So, it's going to be an interesting summer," Draco said quietly. He didn't looked pleased, in fact, he looked a little scared. Alaw reached out and put a hand on his arm.

"We're going abroad," she said softly. "You could come with us, get away from it all. He's back now, you know he is, your father knows he is. That means there's going to be a shitstorm in your social circle."

"I don't think your friends would appreciate my presence. Anyway, I have my mother to think about. And – and my father. He might be a bastard but he's still my father. Our family stays together."

The train whistled and down the platform Alaw could hear Hermione calling for her. But still she was reluctant to leave things like this, and so it seemed was Draco.

"It – it's probably best that we don't talk anymore, or spend any time together, when term starts. It wouldn't be safe for either of us."

"Yeah," Alaw agreed sadly. Smoke was billowing over the platform, briefly hiding the two of them from sight.

"I have to go, have – have a nice summer. Come back in one piece," Alaw said before hugging Draco tightly and planting a kiss on his cheek. Then she ran towards the door Hermione was holding open for her.


End file.
